


When We Were Dreamers

by OneInAThousandWords



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's, Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
Genre: Gen, One-Shots, one shots, story collections
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-19
Updated: 2018-05-30
Packaged: 2019-03-21 07:12:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 24,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13735803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OneInAThousandWords/pseuds/OneInAThousandWords
Summary: Headaches and pain.Death and murder.Love and friendship.Duel Monsters one shots, spanning all generations and characters. No longer open for requests, as it has now been completed. Currently also posted on Wattpad. Sequel collection of one-shots coming out soon.





	1. Chapter 1

# Migraines (A 3-Part Story)

**(This story is dedicated to a dear friend who helped me when I had a horrible migraine. Thanks to thee!!)  
**

 

**Part 1**

Yugi walked downstairs into the kitchen, his face pale, one hand clenched over his left eye. "Grandpa, can I please stay home from school today? My head hurts a lot."

"Yugi, is everything alright?" he asked his grandson, concerned.

"I think it's a migraine. It really hurts right here, behind my eyes. It feels better when I put pressure on it, somehow. I don't think I'm really up to going to school today. I just want to go back to bed." Yugi took out a bowl and poured himself some cereal and milk, eating it slowly. He looked tired, and Grandpa suspected that the headache had kept him awake all night.

"I believe you, Yugi. But if you're going to stay home, you have to stay in bed," Grandpa decided.

"Thanks a lot. I was going to anyway." He poked a spoon into his cereal mush, then finished it in a few bites. "Do we have any aspirin or something?"

"I'm not sure. Let me check." He searched the medicine cabinet for a moment, then shook his head. "Sorry Yugi, but I don't think so."

"That's OK," Yugi smiled weakly, pressing his hand back over his eye. The pressure on the pounding ache made his head feel a lot better, but it didn't stop him from feeling tired and dizzy. All he wanted to do was find a bed and sleep in it.

"I'm going upstairs." He called to Grandpa, going back up to his room. Shutting his curtains and keeping his lights off, Yugi collapsed into bed. He wasn't exactly sure how he would sleep with a hand over his eye, but he felt better by doing it.

Then, a familiar tingle ran through his body, a little shiver making him notice his partner's astral appearance. " _Everything alright, partner?_ " His shadow half asked, sitting at the foot of his bed. His eyes were full of worry and concern.

"Yeah, I'm alright." Yugi replied. "It's just a little migraine. It really hurts right behind my eyes . . ." He slid over on the bed, patting the empty space beside  him. "Come sit over here."

Crawling across the bed, the ancient spirit lay next to the young teenager, reclining on his side with one hand pushed under Yugi's head.  " _Does it feel better if you have your hand over your eye?"_

"Yes." He nodded, cuddling close to his other half. It was strange, but just having someone lying next to him made him feel better. "I'm going to get some rest. Will you stay beside me while I sleep?"

" _Of course._ " He said gently, pushing down Yugi's arm. His hand settled over Yugi's eyes, covering them softly. " _Get some rest, partner._ "

"Thank you," Yugi whispered sleepily. Between the other Yugi's strong, lean fingers, he saw a smile slip across his face.

" _Good-night._ " He whispered back.

** Part 2 **

"Seto, is everything alright? Should i call the hospital? The ambulance?" Mokuba gasped, clutching his older brother's coat tails.

"No, Mokuba, I'm  fine." Kaiba said, hiding a wry smile. "All I said was I'm taking a day off. I promise, it's just a migraine."

"But you only took a day off once before, and that was because you had pneumonia and had to go to the hospital." Mokuba gulped, looking up at him worriedly.

"People can take days off for other things besides pneumonia." Kaiba explained. Digging through the medicine cabinet, he took out a few aspirin and swallowed them whole. He hoped that they could stop the nail behind his face from banging into his temple. "And I'm only doing this because my eyes hurt too much to look  at a computer screen. If it were just a headache, I wouldn't care."

"Are you sure you're alright?" Mokuba stared up at Kaiba with large, deep blue eyes, full of innocence.

"Yes,  I'm sure." Kaiba promised. He took out two aspirin, washing them down with a swallow of water. "I'm going to bed,. Don't cause any trouble."

"Alright."  Mokuba managed to watch TV for two hours before he got bored. Wandering  around the house, though staying far away from Seto's room, his bright energetic mind started churning.

"What if I made  him a snack? Bet he'd like that." Mokuba smiled, directing his steps to the kitchen cheerfully. "But wait; all l know how to make are sandwiches and cheese crackers,  and Seto wouldn't want that." Crestfallen, but hopeful, he went into their gourmet kitchen. After rattling through all the drawers and cabinets, he found one thing that he could make without actually cooking anything: a box of microwave tea bags.

"So, just heat up the water in a mug and let the tea bag soak? I can do that." Mokuba said triumphantly. First things first, a mug.

The glass cups were on the highest shelf, so he grabbed a tall stool and dragged it over, clambering on top of it. Stretching his tiny frame up as far as he could, he just touched the shelf with his fingertips. But the cups were pushed back from the edge, so he couldn't quite reach the closest one. Grabbing the shelf and reaching a little more, he let his feet lift from the stool, his little hand closing around a glass handle.

Just as he clutched his prize, the shelf flipped over, sending Mokuba to the ground in a rain of glass. The cups crashed around him, shattering on the floor and counter. Laying down, hands clasped over his head,  squeezing his eyes shut as the shards clattered against his body, Mokuba screamed, "Help!"

When it was calm, he opened his eyes. The floor around him was covered in broken glass, making it impossible to move. Thankfully, he wasn't cut or bleeding, which was good. 

The shards glistened gently, like death-silvered gems. Suddenly overwhelmed by what had just happened, Mokuba felt tears well in his eyes. "Seto." He whimpered. He really didn't care if he got in trouble. He just wanted his big  brother to fix everything.

"Mokuba! Are you alright?"

Mokuba looked up, not believing his ears. "Seto?" He whispered.

Sure enough, there stood his Nii-sama, pajamas on and eyes full of worry. When he caught sight of Mokuba on the floor, he hurried over, taking his hand quickly. "What happened?" He asked, lifting his brother over the glass and into his arms.

"I-I was trying to get a cup, and the shelf fell . . ." Mokuba sniveled, clutching him tightly. "And I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."

"Shh, it's ok." Kaiba held him tightly for a moment, his body still wracked with anxiety. When he had heard the sounds of falling glass and a scream, he had feared the worst. Regardless of his own pain or exhaustion, he had rushed out of bed and into the kitchen, hoping for the best, trying to prepare himself for the worst-case scenario.

But everything was alright now. "I'm glad you're safe. That's all that matters." He tried to keep his voice calm. He didn't want to scare Mokuba with his own residual fear.

"But I made you get up, even  though your head hurts." He sniffed. "I wanted to make you some tea, so you would be happy. I'm sorry, big brother. I'm bad at everything."

Kaiba didn't say anything to the young man clasped in his arms. He merely pulled him into a more comfortable position against his body and carried him into his bedroom. "Here." He plopped Mokuba down on his bed, and curled up beside him. "Let's just take a nap together."

Mokuba's eyes lit up. They hadn't done this since they were very little kids. "Ok!" He cuddled next to his brother, snuggling into the warm blankets. He was so happy now; he had everything he could ever want.

 

 

 

**Part 3**

"Your weak, stupid body has a headache again!" Shadow Bakura raged. "Why are you always so pitiful?"

"It's probably because you've been putting a lot of stress on my body lately. You'll need time to adjust." Bakura replied primly, trying not to get his consciousness privileges revoked. There was less strain on his other half's mind when the little Bakura was allowed to stay awake.  However, it was not a pleasant experience  to be awake with the snappy, migraine-inflicted dark entity inside him.

"Shut up! Your voice is making it worse, you little weakling." He snapped. He was lying face down on the couch, his head buried in a pillow clasped in his arms. Bakura could feel the pain throbbing in his head, and how it was keeping his other self from resting.

His heart went out with a surge of pity for the aching shadow, despite himself. Even though he constantly abused Ryou and used his body to kill and hurt, the young man couldn't seem to hate him. Somewhere in the core of the shadow's being, Bakura sensed pain, something dark, cold, and biting. And although the pain didn't excuse him for what he did, it did make Bakura willing to take care of him.

"Why don't you let me take control? You'll still feel the pain, but I can get some medicine and things- " He was cut off abruptly.

"Frick off." Shadow Bakura growled. "I'm fine! The only problem is your foolish body. You're weak and useless. The only reason I still have you is because our souls have bonded. I would take a real body in a moment if it meant letting go of your weakness. This is a pale shadow of how I ought to live."

"And I wish that I could be anywhere but here." Bakura sighed, sitting down in a chair is his astral form. "But neither of us can change what's happening, so at least let me help you with your headache."

The only response he got was a glare that could kill.

"At least let me try." He pleaded.

"Ugh. Like what?" Yami Bakura was fed up with his other half's whining and yapping. Maybe if he just let him work, he would finally shut up.

"Well, there's medicine in the cabinet." Bakura rested his hand cautiously on the top of his other half's head. "And you can put a damp cloth over your face too. I could make you some tea, if you want. And I'll fluff the pillows and get you a blanket, or turn up the fan, whichever you want."

"Whatever, whatever.' He merely buried his face in his fingers, his tone finally less edgy. "Do whatever you want. I don't care."

Ryou felt his soul slip inside his own body for the first time in a long time. Reveling in the sensation of having a physical body,  his joy was only dampened by the ear-splitting, crippling pain shooting through his skull. No wonder his other half was testy.

"This really is a migraine." Bakura winced, staggering into the bathroom for some medicine. His shadow self was silent, merely watching the boy taciturnly.

"Maybe I'll be easier on  your body from now on." He finally said.

"Really?" Ryou smiled brightly.

"Don't get the wrong idea. I'm only doing it because you're weak." He snorted in contempt.

"Nevertheless, thank you." Ryou lay back down on the couch, ready for some rest.

"Fool." His other self retorted. But he was already asleep.

 


	2. Atem and Seto

****

**(So, what if Atem and Seto grew up in the palace together? And how would Seto feel towards his younger cousin anyway? I tried to answer those questions with this story. Some minor {like, super-uber-light} Scandalshipping.** )

The target was a milk-cow's hide, stretched taut between two posts. A bright red circle was painted in its center, a smaller white circle in its middle.

The low, morning sun was at Seto's back, its edge just peeking over the castle wall. Later, it would be unbearably hot in the middle of the courtyard, with no shade to relieve it. But, for now, the weather was cool and windy.

Seto's new bow was quite stiff, with about a 70-lb draw weight. He was uncertain if he would be able to use it well. He had shot it a few times before, but he still had trouble with aiming such a powerful weapon. But there was nothing to do but try.

He lined up an arrow on the nock, taking a deep breath as he lifted up his bow. He stepped his left foot forward, and pulled back on the tight string.

On the sidelines, Atem watched his cousin impassively, secretly impressed.He was a little younger than the serious priest, still lanky and thin. His bow had only a 40-lb weight. But Seto could not only pull back his stiff bowstring, he could shoot quite well with it.

_whisss_   -  **THOCK**.

The arrow buried itself in the thick hide target, only its fletchings still visible. It had gone straight into the white circle's center.

"Well done!" Atem smiled. He watched all the tension leave Seto's body as he lowered his bow.

"Thank you, my prince." Seto bowed, but only slightly. A smile lingered on his lips, completely negating his show of humility. Both young men knew that Atem, heir to the throne or not, couldn't beat that shot. 

Atem and Seto switched places, as it was the prince's turn to shoot. Taking an arrow from his quiver, Atem pulled back his bowstring, his body tensing as he took a deep breath, then  relaxing as he exhaled. He stepped forward, lined up his shot, and released the arrow. This one flew quite a bit wider than Seto's,barely touching the right side of the white circle.

"Hmm . . . " Atem hummed, displeased.

"You did fine." Seto encouraged. "Remember, I've had a few more years to practice, right? Besides, you haven't even been out to hunt real game yet. Once you get out into the marshes, things are a lot different. You'll be able to hit these stationary targets easily after you've tried hunting ducks or antelope."

"That's not until next year." Atem complained.

"Which gives you plenty of time to work on your studies." Stepping up to the mark, Seto waited as a slave took their spent arrows out of the target. When he had finished, Seto nocked an arrow, pulling smoothly back on the tight string.

Waiting to the side, his younger cousin quietly admired the priest's bare, muscled shoulders, tensed tightly with the weight of the bow. But as he was about to release the arrow, a gentle zephyr slipped through the air, just strong enough to redirect the flight of an arrow. 

Staying tense, Seto waited for it to pass. Staring at his tanned, strong back, Atem was suddenly struck by a sudden inspiration.  **(Get your mind out of the gutter; this isn't that kind of fanfiction.)**  Laying down his bow, he walked over to Seto.

Noticing his cousin's movement, he relaxed his draw."My prince, what is it?" **  
**

"Nothing. Just a thought." Atem cocked his head slightly, studying Seto's back intently. "You should get a tattoo."

Seto smiled. "Alright. What should it be of?" He straightened up a little higher, feeling little warm shivers where the prince's fingers touched.

"Maybe the great white dragon. It would give you the light to see into the darkest path." Atem gently touched Seto's right shoulder blade. "Its head would be about here, sort of in a sideways view."

"Mm-hm." Seto nodded, wishing Atem would remember his destiny as a future king. " _He shouldn't be touching me so casually._ "

"Its body would make sort of an arch, and its tail would end here." His finger traced a line up level with Seto's shoulders, then curved it down to finish a half circle under his left shoulder blade. "Its wing would overlap onto the front of your chest a little too."

"OK." Seto winced, arching his back. He was a little more ticklish then he would have liked to admit, and his cousin's fingers were tracing over sensitive areas.

"Or maybe something else." Atem's hand dropped to the lower part of Seto's back, tracing a spiral up to his neck. "Slifer, perhaps. It would give you great strength in battle."

"Slifer is the Pharaoh's creature. Having even its image on me would be illegal, so maybe not that one." Seto decided that this conversation had gone on long enough. Stepping away from Atem's hand, he gently broke their contact.

Atem suddenly realized what he had done in touching Seto so familiarly. As the future Pharaoh and the descendant of Ra, everything he said or did was sacred. Because  of this, he wasn't supposed to touch or interact with people casually, even his own family. What he had done had no doubt been very awkward and embarrassing for his cousin.

"I-I'm sorry," he stammered, backing away.

"No, it's fine." Seto looked back evenly at his cousin, pity rising through him. " _He's higher-ranking than anyone else who lives, even his own father. I'm the closest thing he has to an equal, but even I must keep an official distance. As the only son of the Pharaoh, his entire life will be spent alone, even now as a child._ "

Silently nocking an arrow, Seto drew and fired. This arrow touched the tip of the center circle, again going through to the fletchings.

"I'll think about it. Getting a tattoo, I mean." Seto gave a smile to his cousin, relaxing his body from where it had tensed under Atem's touch.

"Thanks." Atem grinned back.

Struck by a sudden inspiration, Seto held out his bow. "Do you want to try?"

The prince's eyes lit up. "Are you sure?"

"Of course. Come on."

Atem gently lay his bow on the ground, taking Seto's from his hand. Sliding an arrow from his quiver smoothly, he nocked it, then stepped his left foot forward. Lining up his whole body with the bow, he strained with all of his might, feeling the tension quickly mount in the heavy string. He pulled it back a little, but it only took a moment for him to look back at Seto helplessly. "I can't do it."

"I couldn't either, the first time." Seto set his left hand just below Atem's on the bow, his right hand settling over top the prince's. "I'll help you pull it back. Just aim and shoot."

The back of his head resting on his cousin's chest, Atem felt the string in his hand move back smoothly as Seto pulled with him. Taking a deep breath, he lined the arrow up carefully with the white circle, and let the arrow fly.

_whisss_  -  **THOCK.**

Just beside the hole from Seto's first arrow, a second rupture appeared in the target, directly in the center; the arrow was nowhere to be seen. Atem and Seto's combined strength had sent it through the target completely.

  
"Nice shot." Seto muttered, stepping back.

"No, it was both of us." Atem smiled, resting the bow against the ground.

Just then, a servant hurried forward from inside the castle, going up to the young men. "My prince," he bowed deeply.

"Yes? What is it?" Atem waved his hand lazily, letting the man straighten up.

"Lord Mohad requests your presence. He says it is time for your lessons, your Highness."

Atem sighed, handing Seto back his bow. "Alright. Please tell him that I'm coming."

The servant bowed again to both Atem and Seto, then went back inside.

"It's too early to study. The best time to be outside is in the morning." Atem complained.

"We can shoot again in the evening, my prince." Seto smiled. "Go ahead to your lessons. I'll clean and unstring your bow for you."

"Thank you." Atem passed Seto his quiver and bow. "Good-day, Seto."

His cousin bowed in reply, and Atem hurried away. Watching him go, Seto sighed, his heart panging with pity. "Our lives will always be carefully kept apart, but no matter what happens, we are of the same blood. Never doubt this; regardless of how we differ, or what our destinies are, I will always protect you, my dearest cousin."


	3. Possessed

 

**(For this one, I guess we can call it minor Tendershipping. I went through a phase of half-shipping unique things for a while. Now I'm very securely anchored in Blueshipping/Mizushipping, so seeing some of my old stuff is sort of strange.)**

Bakura carefully buttoned up his white shirt, tucking it into his pants. He then reached for his uniform jacket, intending to put it on over his shirt. But a sudden twinge of fear and distress passed through him as he realized he had almost forgotten to put on his Millennium Ring.

Not that he particularly wanted to wear it. The dark, ancient spirit dwelling inside it scared him, and he hated the way it possessed his body and used it to attack his friends. But because of the way the Ring's soul was linked to his own, the Ring would come to Bakura whether he wanted it or not. Then, on top of that, the spirit inside would be angry at his attempt to break free, and punish him.

Shuddering, Bakura pulled the ancient artifact over his head, half-expecting to lose consciousness as soon as he did. But no; today, the spirit was silent. It didn't even probe Bakura's mind to read his memories of the last few days.

 

"Perhaps it's still tired from the Battle City finals." Sliding on his uniform jacket, Bakura zipped it up to the top, buttoning the collar, hiding his Ring underneath. He probably should tell Yugi about the Millennium Ring under his uniform, but he figured his spirit wouldn't like it at all. " _I'm sorry, everyone. I know that he'll put you in danger again. But I don't want to be hurt by him . . ._ " He mentally apologized to his friends. Slinging his book bag over his shoulder, he walked downstairs and out the door, starting on his daily route to school.

\--------------------------

The Shadow Bakura living inside the Ring could sense when his other half put the Item on. He could also sense his other half's fear of both it and him. For a moment, he considered slipping into the child's mind and tormenting him again, but he realized that he was too weak to do any more than possess the weakling's body.

" _My_ _shadow powers have been drained in my battles_." He sighed, flexing his fingers. He noticed they had a slight tremble in them. " _But by tomorrow, my strength will have returned. I might as well just see what **this one** does all day_."

Drifting out of the ring in his astral form, Shadow Bakura hovered quietly behind his other half, silently intimidating the young teenager. He knew Bakura could sense his glowering gaze, the utter contempt he had for the child.

"Please." Bakura suddenly broke their tense silence. "Please, just go away."

Shadow Bakura completely ignored him, lost in his own thoughts. Perhaps it wasn't an utter contempt, after all. Yes, his host's innocent soul was an annoying drain on his powers. And certainly, he wouldn't hesitate to eradicate Bakura Ryou's soul in an instant, given half a chance. But, he was forced to admit, sometimes he enjoyed spending his time playing Bakura's life. Maybe it was reckless of him, but he often let his role completely overwhelm him. He would forget, for a time, the pain within his soul, the dark web of revenge he was spinning around the Pharaoh, and even his thirst for revenge. Although his great anger and wrath were sustained through the power of the Dark god himself, the happy, innocent times spent in Bakura's body were greater than that overwhelming power. For a little while, from a few minutes to a few hours, he would live out the future image of what his past life should have been like.

But every time, the spell would break. Eventually, something would pull him out of his happy reverie, and send him back face-to-face with his own, twisted self: disgusting, ruthless, fierce, and twisted. His ancient urges for revenge would spring up anew, sustained by the shadows of darkness within him, and he reached yet again for the combined wish of the god of Darkness and himself – destruction of all the living.

And yet, he could not say he utterly despised his host and future self. Certainly he wasn't fond of him; that word was too strong. No, what his shadow half wanted was his happy, carefree life, lonely but liveable, the life they both should have had.

"Fate was cruel to both of us." Shadow Bakura finally broke his silence.

Bakura just hunched his shoulders, walking faster. He appreciated Yugi driving the spirit's power to possess him away for a while, but he hated how it would turn to annoying him with its physical presence, rather than mental torments. Of the two, he would rather have the former, but talking to the spirit was almost equally terrifying.

"Don't ignore me just because you're scared." Shadow Bakura could sense his other half's terror; for some reason, he felt extremely annoyed at his lack of resistance.

"P-please just go away." Bakura gulped, clutching the strap of his bag for support.

Crossing his arms, the spirit stopped, watching Bakura hurry away. The sun was at his back, casting his shadow far ahead of him. The Bandit King suddenly felt his heart twinge. Something tender – something human – something lonely and isolated - wanted to be let out into the open.

Staring at the dark shadow ever present before Bakura, his other half felt anger rise to replace this odd feeling. Retreating inside the Millennium Ring with a growl, he decided that his momentary burst of humanity had only come from his drained powers. "Once my energy returns, these foolish feelings will fade. What was once human inside of me doesn't exist anymore."

" _Correct."_ The darkness within him seemed to whisper in his ears, curling around his heart and numbing his body _. "Destroy this entire world. Become the wielder of darkness. Wipe out every light that dares to shine."_

"But to wipe out every light, you'll have to destroy yourself!"

That weak, trembling voice – could it be?

"Every human being has a light in their soul, no matter how small. As long as you still have human pain, you'll never be able to destroy this world."

Yes, it was Bakura Ryou. The puny runt had reached inside the Ring to talk to the spirit and had interrupted the whispers of his inner shadows, the very litany of darkness. Surprised, but irritated, Shadow Bakura growled, "What do you know, foolish child? What do you know of darkness and light, pain and death? **Nothing**!"

"You still grieve over your family's death." Bakura dropped his head, knowing that here, inside the Ring, his dark half's powers were stronger than inside his own mind. In this place, Bakura could be seriously injured. But his words were true, and he hoped that by hearing them, his other half might be relieved of his pain. "Even your heart still aches over them. It's small, but it shows that you still care for them. Even that little bit of love is enough to make your soul shine too."

" _He knows I'll hurt him. And yet, the little fool presumes to speak."_ Shadow Bakura stood up, striding over to his younger self. "Maybe you really are brave." He smirked. "But mostly, you're an idiot." He drove his fist straight into his other half's stomach, sending him sprawling to the ground.

"There is no light inside of me." He pressed his foot into the back of Bakura's head, pinning him to the ground. "Feel the pain and fear I don't mind giving to my own self. Know that I have nothing but hatred for you. You are a piece of garbage, who's life only has value because I am living it, rather than a half-witted junk pile." He kicked Bakura in the ribs, carelessly stepping on him as he walked away. "You're not worth any more of my time."

Bakura felt himself get pushed out of the Ring, and he woke up with his face in the sidewalk. Sweating and shivering, he pulled himself to his feet. "I don't know why you hate me." He gulped, holding back tears. "I don't understand. Just go away . . . don't come back, please . . . "

Picking himself up, Bakura kept walking, brushing the dirt off his jacket and pants. He was glad that not a lot of people were out this early in the morning, and no one had seen him face plant. At least he was almost at school. The spirit tended not to bother him there.

Sure enough, his school day was uneventful, as far as dark magic channelling Egyptian artifacts were concerned. Gathering up his books at the end of the day, Bakura packed them in his bag, slinging it over his shoulder.

"Bye Bakura." Yugi waved on his way out.

"Good-bye Yugi." Bakura smiled back, slipping out of the class. Going into the bathroom, he left his bag under the sink, walking into a stall. Locking the door, he suddenly felt a cold hand grip his shoulder.

"W-what?!" Bakura stammered, surprised, half-turning to look behind him. It was the Spirit of the Millennium Ring, Shadow Bakura. His heavy bangs fell over his face, hiding his eyes from view. His fingers gripped Bakura's shoulder like an iron vise.

"What is it?" Bakura asked, nervous at his silence.

His other half still refused to say a word; he pushed a hand under Bakura's arm, around his body. It was odd, almost as though he was actually _hugging_ his other self.

Bakura had no idea what was going on, or what he should do, or if ancient spirits could go insane. But he could definitely feel something different about his dark half. Instead of blazing with freezing shadow powers, he was almost warm, and felt . . . empty.

His other arm now slipped around Bakura's shoulders, clutching his jacket almost desperately.

"What's wrong?" Bakura asked, not daring to move. His heart was pounding too fast, and his throat felt tight. Was this a new way to torture him, or was his other self in need of him somehow? And either way, this was a strange method to use.

"I . . . " His voice was faint, almost muffled. "I . . . " He was hesitant. _He_ , who constantly ridiculed Bakura for his shyness. "I miss my family." His voice was small and weak, even with his mouth next to Bakura's ear.

"Your . . . family?" Quietly, the teenager loosened the spirit's death grip on his jacket, sliding his hand into his. Whatever was going on, the dark cloud of shadows around his other half had lifted, and the feelings hidden inside him were now exposed. Bakura could not dare to miss this chance to lift the darkness from his other self.

"Yes." Bakura's heart leapt into his throat as the spirit slid down the zipper on his jacket. But he only pulled it halfway open, his fingers reaching inside Bakura's shirt for the Ring. As his long, thin fingers caressed the golden artifact, Bakura felt his heart settle. However, he was still very nervous.

"My family was killed to create the Millennium Items."

A chill ran down the teenager's spine as his other half spoke the horrifying words with no emotion, no regrets, no pain – just numbness.

"I watched them die . . ." Again, that numb tone of voice. But his hand squeezed both Bakura's fingers and the Ring very tightly. "I saw them scream in pure agony. But I couldn't look away. I watched . . ." His voice was hoarse with pent-up emotions, and he stopped talking for a long moment.

"Thank you, Bakura. What you said earlier, and how you had the courage to say it, that helped me. I know that you lost your family too, though not in the same way I did. Both of us have a lot of pain, but you used it to change. The words you used gave me enough strength to throw off the darkness imprisoning me. Maybe, for a little while, you and I can have some peace."

His hand released the Ring, and he squeezed Bakura tightly in his arms. ""I'm glad I could help you, but I'm not sure if I can believe you." Bakura stammered, slightly embarrassed. "I mean, this is so sudden."

"Yes, I understand. And know that I can't be free forever, either. Who I am will catch up with me eventually." His voice was sorrowful, tinged with fear. "Let me explain. My soul is not the only one trapped within this Ring. There is another, darker soul that was sealed with me. It took my thirst for revenge and the shadows within me, and gave them the power to overwhelm me. Now, it and I are one. But you have given me the strength to free myself for a little while, if not for long."

"There isn't a way to escape?" Bakura asked. "I mean, can't you-" The spirit gently stroked his thumb over Bakura's palm, not saying a word. Somehow, his silence stopped Bakura short.

"Turn around." He ordered. For the first time, Bakura looked him at him straight on. His past self's face was still touched with cruelty, but his eyes were full of pain, and his expression soft, almost gentle.

Taking Bakura's face in both hands, he tipped it upwards, looking deep into his eyes. The younger boy had a sudden sense of being cared for, as by an older brother. His face flushed, he broke away from his other half's intent gaze, staring down at the floor.

"Don't be scared anymore." He was half-laughing. "You're stronger than you realize." Then his voice became serious. "The Pharaoh dwelling within Yugi is very powerful. He'll set us both free one day. Believe in him. In the meantime, this will probably never happen again. The Darkness Within will keep a tighter hold on me. I'm sorry, Bakura. You'll have to be alone a little longer."

Bakura nodded, and then threw his arms around the older boy. "I understand. Don't worry about me, please."

"I'm sorry for all the pain I caused you." They could both sense the shadows descending, and the older Bakura talked quickly. "I promise, things won't be like this forever."

"Good luck." Bakura whispered, feeling him slip away.

"There's no such thing as luck. There's only skill." His voice was haughty again, but not angry. "You'll have to figure that out by yourself." His form faded away, disappearing into the Ring as the shadows pulled him back inside. Bakura could sense his anger, and knew he would pay for this moment later.

Leaving the bathroom stall, he splashed some water on his face, trying to clear his mind. What his other half had told him had been rather surprising, but Bakura found hope in it. He had mentioned that the Pharaoh would set them free one day, so perhaps it meant that there was a way to clear the shadows from his other self's heart. And maybe, without the darkness constantly aggravating his pain, his wounds could heal, and they would live in peace together, just like Yugi and his own other self.

"I don't understand what happened, but I hope I can free you again, maybe." He murmured. "If I can't, then I only hope that you can be happy one day, partner."


	4. Love and Arcade Games

 

**(Arcades, featuring Atem the Ultimate Peachshipper.)**

"Hey, Yugi, did you hear?" Tea leaned forward on Yugi's desk, holding up a newspaper. "Look at this ad; a new arcade just opened up. It's supposed to be really high-tech and have all the newest games. We should all go this weekend."

"Sounds fun!" Yugi smiled. "Joey, Tristan, you guys coming?"

"Yeah, for sure." Joey nodded. "I'll bring Serenity with me too. I'll bet she'd love it. She doesn't really play video games often, so she's always excited when she gets to play even at an arcade."

"We should invite Bakura and Duke too." Tea suggested.

"Sorry, but I can't. I've got a weekend job." Bakura said, pushing his books into his bag. "I've just started, so I can't really ask for time off. Maybe next time."

"Aww, that sucks. I'll go check if Duke's still here, though." Tea walked out of the classroom to find their game-store owning friend.

"The arcade was decent. Good sized, of course. The games were mostly newer ones, but the price is very competitive for the area." Kaiba brushed a piece of nonexistent dirt off his sleeve, his voice arrogant and sharp, as usual.

"Oh, you've been to it, Kaiba?" Yugi asked.

"Yes. However, they hadn't finished getting in all of the machines when I went. There might be more selections now." He picked up his bag off the floor. "It's a pretty high-end arcade, but the owner doesn't use it as an excuse to make it high-priced. If he manages his money right, he'll become very successful."

Joey smirked, never missing a chance to take a dig at Kaiba. "It opened only three days ago and you've already been? Don't tell me that you're an arcade nerd with all your money."

Kaiba sighed, that 'oh-my-gosh-how-do-I-survive-with-you-dolts-around' sort of sigh. "I'll try to talk slowly so you can understand this, Wheeler. I own the largest gaming business in Japan. I live less than a mile from this game store. What _intelligent_ business owner wouldn't try to make an exclusive deal with KaibaCorp? A few other local business owners and myself were invited to break everything in, as a courtesy call." A little smirk twitched at the corners of his mouth as he stood to leave. "Just one of my chores, really."

"S-stupid Kaiba . . . " Joey muttered, glaring after the billionaire. "He thinks he's so great, huh?"

Yugi smiled weakly. "It's alright, Joey."

Tea came back in, shaking her head. "Duke can't come either. He's taking his girlfriend out this weekend."

"Just us five then." Tristan shrugged.

"Yup." Yugi nodded. "I gotta get home. See everyone tomorrow."

That Night

"Hey, partner." Yugi grinned. "Did you hear? We're all going to the arcade this weekend. Do you want to go instead?"

"No, you should have a good time." The spirit of the Millennium Puzzle was leaning over Yugi's desk chair, his rangy body neatly showcased by a sleeveless shirt and tight-fitting pants.

"Alright. I just wanted to make sure you didn't want to come." Yugi pulled his pajamas out of his drawer. "I'm gonna shower. See you in a bit." He took off the Millennium Puzzle, laying it down carefully on his pillow.

The other Yugi smiled, gently running his finger over Yugi's Time Wizard alarm clock. "He's so childish . . . " Then his expression darkened as his train of thought changed.

Several months ago, the spirit had made a difficult choice: stay with Yugi forever, or pursue his lost memories. He had chosen the harder path, and ever since, he had been trying to find the seven Millennium Items that held his memories. He didn't regret his choice, but at the same time, he realized that he would eventually have to leave Yugi behind.

"I want to find myself. But I also don't want to leave my friends, Yugi especially. They have all taught me so many important lessons in my life here." He settled into the desk chair, idly spinning around in a circle. "My bonds with all of them are precious. But there comes a day when they and I must change. All I can do until then is hold them closer to me."

He laced his fingers together, his thoughts dissolving to ethereal daydreams. "My fingers are so long . . . my hands are much bigger than Yugi's. I wonder if that means I'm not much older than he is. I wish I knew how old I really am. And I also wish that I knew when I'll say good-bye."

In the bathroom next to the bedroom, the shower turned on as Yugi got in. Sighing deeply, his heart still troubled, the spirit returned to the Puzzle to wait for Yugi.

A few minutes later, Yugi came out of the bathroom, rubbing a towel over his blond hair. "Hey, partner." He smiled, pulling the Puzzle over his head as he sat on his bed.

"Hey." His other half grinned back, sitting on the floor at Yugi's feet. "You seem pretty cheerful."

"Well, yeah, of course. Everything's pretty amazing right now. I mean, we already have the Millennium Necklace and the Rod, and with the Millennium Puzzle, that makes three out of seven already, right?" Yugi gently ran his finger down the golden pyramid.

The spirit felt his heart sink. "Well, yes, I suppose." He sighed, looking down at the floor.

Yugi noticed his drop in tine at once. "Is everything alright?" He dropped to the floor beside his friend, unconsciously laying his hand on his other half's knee.

"I'm not ready to leave." He reached his hand out, placing it over Yugi's. "I know it's a long time away, but even now, my heart aches, knowing I'll have to go." His hand clenched around Yugi's tighter. "I'm sorry; I shouldn't make you worry."

"No, I want you to tell me if you're sad." Yugi put his other hand on top of his partner's. "I think about it too, sometimes, and I don't want you to go either. But it's your destiny, Pharaoh. It's where you're supposed to be. You made your choice to go home, so it's too late to feel regret. Don't regret anything that you've done!"

The spirit felt a warm surprise flow through him. " _Yugi's grown up a little, hasn't he?_ " He realized. "Thank you." He placed his other hand on top of Yugi's. "Everything that I've done is only because of what you've given me. If you hadn't helped me, I never could have even started."

"And without you, I wouldn't have had enough courage to become stronger." Yugi smiled back. He took his hand off his partner's knee, placing it on top of their hands. "We shouldn't be scared of our futures, no matter where they go."

"I won't be." His other side promised, sliding his hand out of the bottom of the pile and putting it on top of their hands. "If you aren't scared, then I certainly shouldn't be."

"I'll be as strong as you are one day." Yugi protested, annoyed at his slight dig. He moved his left hand from the bottom to the top.

"I know." The spirit said cheerfully, putting his other hand over Yugi's. "And one day, you'll be even stronger than me. No matter how many Millennium Items we have, I won't leave until that day." He pressed his hands down gently, stopping Yugi from moving his own hands. "I win." He smiled.

Ignoring their little game, Yugi stared up into his partner's eyes. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that I won't leave until you don't need me anymore." His strong hands gripped Yugi's tightly, and neither spoke for a long time.

Yugi finally broke the silence, his voice quavering. "I'll always need you."

That Weekend

"Wow," Serenity gasped. "It's so huge!"

"I know." Joey smiled. "Honestly, I didn't expect it to be this big."

"The top floor is all laser tag, and the bottom floor is the arcade games." Yugi explained.

"We should play laser tag first." Tristan suggested.

"Sounds like a plan." Tea grinned.

They pushed into the arcade, greeted by an attendant at the front desk. They traded in their money for tokens, splitting them between themselves.

"Come on, let's go play!" Joey and Tristan ran ahead, not even noticing the brightly glowing screens around them.

"Let's just take it slow." Tea said, walking beside Serenity. "Let's see if there are any games we can play after laser tag."

"Ok." Serenity smiled.

Yugi walked a little behind the two girls, looking around in wonder. There were classic games, like Pac-Man and Galactica, stereotypical two-player shooting games. There were children's games, and new games Yugi had never heard of. He had the strong urge to try every single game there.

" _No, that'd take hours._ " He thought, smiling to himself. " _I don't have nearly enough tokens either._ "

"Yugi, hurry up." Tea called.

"Oh, sorry." Yugi hurried after her, pushing away his sudden thoughts.

"Hey look at that." Serenity pointed at a row of claw machines against the wall. "Duel Monsters toys!"

"Really?" The three stood around the machine, marvelling at the stuffed animals piled up inside.

"I want a Dark Magician!" Yugi laughed.

"I want the Dark Magician Girl." Tea pointed.

"Ooh, that Red-Eyes is so adorable." Serenity sighed.

"I'll try to get them, ok?" Yugi pulled out a few tokens. "It's only one coin to play, so even if I lose it's alright."

He pushed the coin into the slot, and the claw lit up, moving into the middle of the box. Yugi felt a sudden shiver run through him; his other half was standing beside him, giving a thumbs-up. "Good luck, partner." He said with a confident smile.

"Thanks." Yugi smiled as the spirit vanished. He carefully maneuvered the claw over the plushy Red-Eyes Black Dragon. Hitting the button, the claw went down, scooping up the Red-Eyes and a Winged Kuriboh.

"Bonus!" Tea cheered.

But as the claw carried them to the bucket, the Kuriboh slipped away, tumbling back to the pile.

"At least we got this one." Yugi took out the stuffed animal, giving it to Serenity.

"Thank you Yugi." She smiled, squeezing it tightly.

"Look." Tea pointed. "There's a Dark Magician and a Dark Magician Girl right beside each other."

"Good eye! I'll try for those." Yugi fed another coin into the machine, pulling the claw into position. This time, it merely dropped all the toys it picked up, heartlessly returning to its starting position.

"Darn." Yugi took out one more coin. "Ok, last chance."

"You can do it, Yugi." Tea cheered. "Try your best."

"I will." He gently gripped the joystick, pushing it around slowly. He tried to get it exactly above the Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl. He paused, moved it slightly, stopped again, and then moved it back slightly. "Alright, here goes."

He clicked the button. The claw lowered gently, scooping up only the Dark Magician Girl. But as the claw carried it back to the slot, it dropped it, only a few inches away.

"No!" Yugi groaned.

"Well, it's ok. You tried your best, right? That's all that matters." Tea encouraged. "Come on; let's go find Joey and Tristan."

"But I wanted to get it for you." Yugi sighed, following her.

"You can try again next time. It's just a game, so sometimes you're lucky, sometimes you're not." She smiled at him. "Remember, we're here to have fun."

Yugi smiled back. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Let's go find my big brother." Serenity said.

Their day was long and loud. After finding Joey and Tristan already in line, they all joined the game of laser tag. There were plenty of other people to play with, and the dimly lit play area covered the entire top floor. There were ramps, barrier walls, and even ladders going up to a sniping tower. Their eyes and clothes glimmered strange colors in the blue and red lights, the darkness hiding friends from foes.

"Wow." Yugi sighed. "That was fun. How long have we been here?"

"Almost three hours." Tristan replied. "Man, I'm out of tokens."

"So am I." Tea said.

"Same here." Joey nodded. "Guess it's about time to head home."

"I've actually got one left." Yugi held up his last coin. "I'll save it for next time."

"You could try the claw machine again." Serenity pointed out.

"Well, three tries are enough for one day. I'll have to try it when I'm luckier." Yugi smiled, slipping his coin into his pocket. "Grandpa will probably need some help at the store, so I'll go on home. See everyone at school."

"See ya."

"Bye Yugi."

That Night

"Well, that was awesome." Yugi sighed, sliding on his pajama shirt.

His partner was gently fiddling with the pencils on his desk, his back turned. "I'm sure it was." He smiled. "How did the claw machine go?"

"Oh, that? Well . . ." Yugi sat down on his bed, pulling on his pants. "I got Serenity a Red Eyes toy, but I couldn't get Tea's Dark Magician Girl. But I do have one more token." He picked up his pants off the floor, taking out the last token. "I'll go put my clothes in the hamper. I'll be back in a sec." Yugi picked up his laundry, giving a quick grin to his partner as he walked out.

Alone, the Pharaoh stared down at the golden token Yugi had left on his desk, running one finger over it. "Hmm." He murmured.

When Yugi came back in, he asked, "Partner, how much does one play on the claw machine cost?"

"Just one token. Why?"

"Maybe you should try again for Tea tomorrow." He grinned. "She might give you a kiss if you win it for her."

"Don't say stuff like that!" Yugi blushed, looking away. "If all you're going to do is tease me, then I'm going to bed. Good-night!" He flopped into his bed, drawing the sheets around him. He was surprised to feel his partner lay down beside him. At night, he usually went back into the Millennium Puzzle.

"What is it?" He asked, snuggling into the older boy's side.

"Nothing. Just go to sleep." He pushed one arm under Yugi's head. "Good night, my other self."

Yugi smiled, happily silent. He cuddled into the Pharaoh's arm, feeling sleep weigh down on his eyelids. Tucked into his dearest friend's warm embrace, it wasn't long before he was gently snoring. His partner waited just a little bit longer, just to make sure, then slipped into Yugi's body.

"I'll get that toy for you." He whispered, quickly changing into Yugi's uniform. "Give it to Tea so you can impress her." He snatched up the last token, slipping downstairs and out the door silently.

The arcade owner sighed and stretched out, taking his keys out of his pocket. It was finally closing time, and while he enjoyed his work as owner-operator, it was still a tiring job. Suddenly, a shiver ran through him, and he turned around, sensing a presence. "Who's there?" He called into the darkness.

There was no answer, but he suddenly became aware of a young man in a blue school uniform with confident eyes and a ghastly smile. "I'm sorry, but we're closed." He said quickly.

Suddenly, the boy's eyes seemed kinder. "Please, I just need to do one last thing." He held up a single, gleaming token. "It will only take a moment."

The owner paused, his key in the lock. What were the odds that this kid was just a game freak sneaking out past his bedtime, after all? No way was he anyone who wanted to rob him of all his money.

" _Yeah, right._ " The man thought with a smirk. But something about the boy's earnestness - and the fact he hadn't assaulted the arcade owner from behind – seemed to touch his heart. He knew the fever a good game can give you to play.

He hesitated a moment longer, then unlocked the door. "Fine. Just this once. I won't do this ever again, so don't even try it."

"Thanks." The boy smiled, hurrying inside. "You have a good heart."

"Yeah, well. It's more of a stupid one." The owner laughed, flipping on the lights and games. "Otherwise, this place wouldn't exist. I'd be doing something worthwhile with my life, you know?"

"No, this place is incredible. It will last forever, as long as you continue to believe in the children who come here. As long as you do that, it will never close." He smiled mysteriously, keeping pace with the owner as he walked.

"Listen, kid, it's not that easy, lemme tell you." He laughed.

"No, I can promise you. It is that easy." The boy pointed at the back wall. "I'll be over there. Like I said, this won't take long."

________

"Tea! I've got something for you."

"Really? What is it?"

"Ta-da!"

"Yugi, it's the Dark Magician Girl toy! Did you go back to the arcade for it yesterday? "

"Well, something like that. Do you like it?"

"Yes, I love it. Did you get a Dark Magician too?"

"Uh-huh. Isn't he the coolest?"

"Definitely! Thanks a lot for this, you know?"

"Well, it's what you wanted, right? I wanted you to be happy. Umm, but it's pretty cheesy, isn't it? I should have gotten you something else."

"No, Yugi. I love it. It's perfect."

~Finis~

 


	5. Nightmares and Daydreams

Everything around him was completely hidden in darkness, the shadows' blackness absolute. A strange, cold wind blew around Seto Kaiba, ruffling his long coat and heavy bangs.

"Where am I?" He thought, glancing around cautiously.

Suddenly, right in front of him, bedecked in the heavy golden bands and rich robes that marked him as a pharaoh, was Atem. His arms were crossed, his face stern and touched with anger. In his right hand, he clasped the Egyptian god cards; the other caressed his Millennium Puzzle, the sign of his dark power.

For a long, terrifying moment, the two stared at each other, Kaiba completely transfixed by the sight of the rival he considered dead and gone. But then, the face of the ancient king twisted into a smirk, his mouth letting out only one word.

"Weak."

Kaiba felt the wind around him intensify. Stunned, he dropped to his knees, pain shooting through his heart. "No!" He shouted to the darkness, defiant. "You don't mean that. It's not true." He stared up into Atem's face. "That's not true."

"You aren't even worth my time." The Pharaoh merely shrugged, his expression cold. "Weakling." His form slowly melted away into the shadows, his skin becoming paler, his form larger and bloated. He was now Gozaburo Kaiba, glaring down at Seto coldly. "You're such a foolish child. Always playing silly games. Look, the man you consider your rival doesn't even care about you. You're just a little fly. I can't believe I ever considered a child like you a threat."

"I made your company great." Kaiba struggled to rise, but the iron in Gozaburo's gaze kept him pinned to his knees. "I built it up! It's stronger now than it ever was under you." His voice cracked, and all of his hidden fears seemed to rise inside him. "I'm not a child." He sobbed.

"You are a child!" Gozaburo boomed, his voice like a bell of death. "You're too weak to even protect your own brother. Don't you understand?" Slowly, Gozaburo's face faded away too, replaced by Mokuba's tiny, childish form. "Seto . . ." He whispered.

"Mokuba." Kaiba gasped, reaching a hand out to his little brother. "Mokuba. Please, help me up."

"No!" He shook his head, cowering away from Kaiba's outstretched hand. "I don't care what happens to you. I always looked up to you, but you're just a fraud who hurts other people to get what you want! You scare me, Seto! I don't want to be like you. I never want to see you again. I don't want a brother like you anymore!"

"I only did it for you." Kaiba groaned, feeling what was left of his strength fade away. Defeated, he let his head rest in the dirt. "I promise, for you . . . "

"It wasn't enough. You are never enough."

This voice wasn't Mokuba's.

"You have only ever failed the ones you said you loved."

It was a woman's voice now, one Kaiba knew too well. It lashed in his heart, wrapping him in pain and regrets. Too scared to look away, too desperate not to look, he lifted his head just once more. Even if it was just a nightmare, if it was _her,_ he had to look at her once again.

Her familiar eyes, bluer than the skies of Egypt. Her hair like a silk curtain, whiter than snow. A slender, tall body, well-formed and beautiful.

Yes, this was Kisara.

"You didn't protect me." Her voice was full of anger, the blue eyes Kaiba knew so well only full of pain.

"I tried . . . " Kaiba was really crying now, the tears pouring down his face. "I tried, I promise. I did everything I could. I didn't mean for you to get hurt. I didn't, I didn't."

"Liar! You only care about me because I give you power. You don't love me at all! I'm something you can throw away and not even care about, as long as you get what you want. That's what everyone is for you! I hate you just as much as you pretend to care about me."

Kaiba tried to talk, tried to say what he really felt, what she meant to him – but he couldn't breathe or move. He was frozen in fear and pain and despair. His entire body felt numb and lifeless, a slow cold seeping into his soul. The ground beneath him suddenly became soft and writhing, pulling him down into the dirt.

"Die, Seto Kaiba!"

Atem, Mokuba, Kisara, Gozaburo . . . which voice was that screaming at him to cease existing?

"No!" Too late, too late could he open his mouth. "No, please. I promise. I love you!"

 

" **Kaiba-san**. Kaiba-san. Is everything alright?"

Kaiba's eyes flew open, and he started up, a great shudder running through him. "What? What's going on?"

Suddenly, he realized he was not within a realm of darkness, but rather, in his classroom at school. The classroom was full of giggles at Kaiba's sudden re-emergence to the waking world, but the teacher, who had woke him up, continued to look at him in concern.

"You're at school, Kaiba-san, remember? You seem to have fallen asleep at your desk."

"Oh. Yes." Kaiba sat back down, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. He was surprised when it came back wet. " _Was I crying?_ "

"Sorry, Sensei." He said aloud. "It won't happen again."

"I'll let you off with a warning. But if your business is interfering with your schoolwork, it might be time to take a break."

Kaiba shook his head. "It won't happen again."

"It had better not." Returning to the front of the class, their teacher resumed the lesson.

" _This ridiculous dream again._ " Kaiba shivered. He had been chased out of sleep by the dark dream every night that week. Every time, it still hurt the same way. Or even worse.

"Kaiba." Yugi whispered. His chair was right beside Kaiba's. By staying quiet, they could have a murmured conversation between themselves. "Is everything alright?"

Before Kaiba could respond, the teacher suddenly called Yugi up to the board to finish a problem. After that, there was never a safe moment to talk without the teacher seeing. Finally, at the end of class, Yugi had the chance to ask Kaiba his question again.

"I'm perfectly fine." Kaiba scoffed coldly, gathering up his books. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I saw the tears you were crying." Yugi said quietly, carefully looking around to make sure no one heard him. "I thought you were having a nightmare."

"It was only a dream. I don't even remember what it was about." Kaiba lied easily, letting the words slip off his tongue, guarding his heart, just as he always did. "You're making a big deal out of nothing."

"O-ok." Yugi sighed. As the smaller boy walked away, Kaiba suddenly became conscious of how much older and stronger Yugi seemed. " _Weird. Maybe he's been growing and I hadn't realized."_ But he knew what it really was.

Ever since Atem had left, Yugi had been growing up in leaps and bounds. He had gotten rangier and lean, his head always held high with confidence. Everything about him was becoming regal and proud – even royal.

" _Atem leaving really changed him. No, it changed us all. But Yugi is the one who really grew from all this. The rest of us are still who we are._ " Kaiba pushed away the clinging anxiety from his dream, bringing his mind to the here and now, away from the lost and the gone. " _It_ _really is just a dream._ "

\---

"I never want to see you again!"

As usual, it was Mokuba's voice that broke Seto down. His cold, searing accusations brought him to his knees and pinned him to the dirt, crying for help, for anything . . . anyone.

"Why am I so weak?" He gasped in pain.

"Failure! You're always a failure. Why couldn't you protect me?" Kisara's voice sunk perfectly into his heart, sending Kaiba into a paroxysm of grief.

"I tried, I promised." Kaiba wailed, wishing that he could wake up. " _Please, a light in this darkness. Please._ "

"That's enough now."

A soft, kind voice suddenly split the shadows open. The Kisara in front of Kaiba faded away into nothing, losing her strength. But if that were so, then why did Kaiba still hear her voice?

"Seto . . ."

He knew whose voice it was, but his heart cringed. " _She'll just hurt me again. It's just the dream._ "

"Seto, it was not your fault.

It was his greatest love – his greatest regret. Her shining white hair shimmered around him like a curtain as Kisara bent over him kindly. A holy white light surrounded her, and her eyes were serene, not angered, as Kaiba usually saw her.

"Of course it was my fault." Kaiba pushed away the warm hand she reached to his face. "I was weak, and that hurt you! If I could have fought, you wouldn't have had to die!"

"I never had to die. I chose to give up my life for you. I never saw this as your fault, only as my choice." She knelt before him, her hands gently caressing his shoulders, his neck, and his face. Her touch was warm and energizing, and Kaiba felt his life returning. His heart felt strong again.

"I know you want to protect the ones you love. There's nothing wrong with that, dear Seto." She pulled him up into a sitting position, and Kaiba threw his arms around her. How often had he wished for this? Her warmth – her scent – her voice and touch and everything about her . . .

Her hand rested on his cheek, tilting his face to hers, forcing him to look deep into her blue, blue eyes. "There's nothing wrong with protecting us, but let us protect you, too."

Looking straight into her mirror eyes, Kaiba felt his body begin to tremble, his heart pounding. "I love you." He had to whisper.

"I love you too, Seto." Her face nuzzled gently into his neck. "Don't waste the rest of your precious life on regret. Don't give yourself burdens that are not yours to bear."

"Don't leave." Kaiba gulped, pressing his face into her hair. He inhaled deeply, trying to memorize the smell of her skin. A sweet nostalgia rose from her, sending a shiver through his lean body.

"I'm not leaving you. Remember, dearest? I'm as close to you as your own soul." Kisara's fingers gently stroked his arm, running down his chest, then slipping rhythmically to his neck and back. Kaiba could feel his mind slipping away, his consciousness returning to the outside world.

"No . . ." He fought to stay asleep, but it was too late. His eyes were already wide open, staring into the bright numbers of an alarm clock. It beeped at him intently, screaming for his immediate attention. Flipping it off, Kaiba sat up, running his hair through his thick, messy bangs.

Glancing at his deck sitting on his nightstand, he picked it up on a whim, going through them expressionlessly. On the 'Blue Eyes White Dragon', he stopped, staring at the card coldly.

"Well, when it comes to you, I'm always weak, aren't I?" he let a smile play around his lips, only to stop himself from crying. "I'll be the one to protect you someday. I promise."

 

 

 

 

**So, how is everyone liking it so far? Please leave a kudos, comment, subscribe, or whatever, to show your appreciation.  It would really be great for my ego . . . I'll also do requests, so please feel free to ask!)**

 

 


	6. Waiting in the Rain

 

 

Seto Kaiba had graduated from Domino High School almost two years ago. He had no children attending it, no family members to pick up from its front steps, no special love for the place. But every day that it rained or snowed close to the last glimpse of that institution of the day for the students, Seto Kaiba left work early and walked to that school.

He didn't tell his chauffeur to drive him there, and he never told anyone where he went on rainy afternoons. He would stand outside the school gates, quietly, gently scanning the crowds of students for the one person he was waiting for.

She was three years younger than him, and still in school. He was a young adult, a billionaire leader of a corporate empire. She was nothing to anyone else. She had always meaant the world to him.

As soon as she walked through the gates and saw Seto waiting, her blue eyes lit up with all the brightness of a thousand full-moon midnights. She skipped over to him, shyly took his hand, walked close to him under the umbrella.

"Kisara, how was school today?"

 

 

 

**(This one is short, but sweet. Just a little fluffy drabble-y thing.)**


	7. Falling

**(I wrote this story back around episode . . . oh geez . . . . maybe 8(?) of Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS. It was a while ago, anyway. Some of the information we now know about Aoi wasn't available then, so just keep that in mind.)**

 

 

Class was finally over. It wasn't that I hated school or anything, but it was annoying, and took a lot of my time. Right afterwards, though, was Duel Club, which was usually the best part of the day, unless Onii-sama came home. Then, he took preference over everything else.

That wasn't something that happened often.

I slipped into the club room, greeting the others who were already there. Of course, I was the only girl. That's how things always were.

Sato and the president were chatting casually, but I didn't feel like joining them today. I just sat quietly at a desk, running my fingers over my Duel Disc. " _Onii-sama, I'll do whatever it takes to make you proud_." I vowed.

Suddenly, there was some kind of commotion at the door. Two boys' voices could be heard, one very loud, the other faint, barely discernible. My heart seemed to stop for a moment. " _Shima-kun is the only club member not here. So who . . . ?_ "

The president hurried to the door, opening it quickly. "Shima-kun, what's going on? I can hear you from inside!"

"Sorry." The massive boy said sheepishly. "This is Yusaku. He was just standing around outside, so I asked him in."

"Oh, a new member? Come inside at once." The president smiled, opening the door wide. The boy with the quiet voice came in. He wasn't much to look at; he was tall and very slender. His green eyes were intense and piercing, while his hair was blue and light blue, striped with pink. The most interesting thing about him was the old-fashioned Duel Disc he wore, which still contained physical cards.

"My name is Yusaku Fujiki. I'm a freshman here at school." He said, bowing as he introduced himself.

I didn't have much interest in him. After the others introduced themselves, I smiled slightly and said, "I'm Aoi Zaizen. Nice to meet you."

He looked at me for a momet, an unreadable expression on his face. I seemed to hear a sharp, but hushed voice from his Duel Disc, and my suspicion suddenly rose. Shima mentioned something about how his Disc looked like Playmaker's, and my brain began working quickly.

"May I see your deck?" I asked. Of course, this was rather rude, and the president called me out on it. But Yusaku didn't seem perturbed at all.

"Sure, that's fine." He slipped the cards out of the Disc, and I ran through them rapidly, searching for any sign of Cyberse monsters. After all, if I could identify the strange hero of VRAINS, Playmaker, and defeat him, my brother would be proud of me. Maybe then he could understand my reasons for dueling.

But it just looked like an ordinary deck, and Yusaku was just a guy who like old gear. The deck was full of weak, common cards, but they all had interesting designs.

"Here you are. Thank you." I offered him the cards back, but Shima snatched them from our hands suddenly.

"Now let me see!" He crowed. "Oh man. These cards suck. Your deck's trash!"

"Shima-kun, a duelist's cards are his life. Don't insult someone like that." The president growled.

"Oh, you're right. Sorry." He gave the deck back to Yusaku. "I didn't mean it like that."

"No, you're right." He sighed, putting them in his pocket. "They are weak."

That boy surprised me. He was odd. He used a very distinct Duel Disc but only had weak cards. He was intense and quiet, but friendly enough. He answered questions openly and talked nicely enough, but he still seemed guarded, like he was hiding something. But I was the last person who would pry into someone's secrets.

_                                                                                               _                                                                                     _

 

'- Playmaker'

My heart beat fast as I read the text. " _He wants to duel me?_ " I raised my hand, babbled something about feeling sick, then ran as fast as I could to the roof. My feet barely touched the ground the whole time, and I felt light and free. I never knew that I could fly outside as well as inside the VRAINS.

"Into the VRAINS!"

 

**\---**

 

 **Dark Angel.** What a strange card.I don't remember putting it in my deck. Yetit's right here, in my hand. **  
**

Everything I'm fighting for, everything I ever dreamed of, my hopes, my fears, my wishes - why are they fading? What's going on? I feel so weak . . .

I learned that i could fly outside of VRAINS. I learned long ago as the Blue Angel that my heart has wings. I could fly because of my dreams.

_But they're fading. They're gone. My wings._

I didn't remember anything, only the falling. I suppose I must have lost the Duel, but I don't remember now. But falling - I'll always remember that.

In VRAINS, I had never stumbled. I always stayed above the ground, high in the sky. My wings carried me over everyone and everything. Something had come, though, something dark and low and creeping, and stolen my wings. It took them from me, and I fell.

Playmaker hadn't even realized what had happened to me. He watched me as I fell, spiraling out of control. If he tried to come close, he would probably have just gotten hurt, but still. I wanted him to come. And he didn't care.

I couldn't move. I couldn't think. My body wasn't mine. My heart was empty. All I could remember, for some reason, was Yusaku.

_He only talked to me because of my brother. Just like everyone else. I hoped that he would be special. He's just the same as everyone I know. He's no one._

As I realized this, I also realized that I couldn't breathe. My mind faded, _he_ faded.

And all went dark.


	8. Champions

**(This is the only fanart I could find of these two that didn't have Yami in it, or didn't have romantic implications . . . or went way beyond implications . . .** **-_-** **'** **)  
**

**(Anyway, I always thought it would be cool to see what Yusei did after 5Ds was over, and where Jadon went after GX was over, and what he did to become stronger. Wouldn't it be awesome if those two teamed up and became an awesome dueling partnership? Please enjoy!)  
**

 

He had been driving along a single, lone desert road for almost 24 hours. His motorcycle only had enough fuel left for another half hour, and his water had ran out several hours earlier. He was sweating heavily under his pants and long jacket, but without their protection, he would be sunburned in a matter of minutes.

Yusei Fudo was beginning to regret his choice to find a dueling mentor. However, he could do nothing but continue on, and hope his map was accurate when it declared an oasis-town only a mile or so ahead. But that town was not his final destination, only a half-way point to the end of his journey. In the mountains that were a day's ride from the town, a rumor came on the wind that a duelist lived in a cave on the tallest peak. He strove to be the best, they whispered, but he hadn't left his cave in over 3 years. Some said he was a nameless wanderer with no past; others said he was from the old Domino City, and had even fought the King of Duelists.

No one knew for certain, but Yusei was ready to find out.

He was powerful, but he didn't feel like he was. He supposed that he was the best in the world, according to the tournaments, but he wasn't sure if that was enough. He was always worried that he wouldn't be able to protect the ones he loved if  _something_  came, something beyond he darkness they had fought before. However, he was done with fear. He would search the world to find duelists stronger than himself, and defeat them. He would truly become the best duelist, a king, but not for himself. This was for the ones he loved.

The oasis-town was friendly, but the prices for everything were necessarily high. Yusei filled up the gas in his tank, and bought extra for the journey ahead. He also grabbed three days' worth of food , and almost as much water as gas. The town's diner provided him with a large, delicious lunch, and the tiny hotel a place to sleep. Yusei slept for sixteen hours, falling into bed at 4 in the afternoon and not getting out of it until 8 the next morning. The diner provided him with his excellent breakfast, then he was on the road once more.

This time, he was properly supplied for a desert journey. He lashed everything he had bought to the seat behind him, and went on his way. Every two hours, he made a break to drink water and occasionally eat, and every six hours, he re-fueled his motorcycle, keeping careful track of how much fuel he had used and how much he had left. But as he moved across the sanded plain, the red mountains in the distance grew closer and closer.

Finally, just as the fiery sun was kissing the horizon, Yusei was riding in the shadows of the great peaks as they fell across the blazing sand. It would take him another hour to actually get to the mountains, but their shade was a welcome relief. But the peaks were also a reminder of his obstacles. Even once he reached the mountains, he would have to climb the tallest peak to find the hidden duelist - if he even existed. The mountains seemed sheer and unclimbable from this far away, an insurmountable pain.

But that was tomorrow's dilemma. Tonight, he had to find somewhere to rest where coyotes wouldn't eat him in his sleep. Thankfully, long ago, someone had built a hut at the base of the mountains for people who wanted to climb them. The townsfolk kept it stocked with provisions. Yusei now had some cold water, some canned food, a mattress to sleep on, and a roof over his head. Stretching out his sore muscles, he collapsed in bed after a mouthful of food and more water. His sleep was restful, even if the howling of the coyotes echoed in his dreams.

In the morning, another mouthful of food and water counted as breakfast. He made the bed and swept the hut out, keeping it clean for the next user. The ancient peak was waiting for him now.

The peaks weren't as tall as they had seemed yesterday, but they were a treacherous range to climb, and the desert sun would be at his back the entire time. He used the rope he had lashed his supplies down with to tie two plastic water containers to his belt. One was full of water, and the other was full of canned soup he had made the night before. Thus equipped, he set out to find the path up the tallest mountain.

The road was winding and boulder-strewn, often disappearing into bushes, caves, or narrow ravines. Most of the time, it vanished, leaving you to climb up a sheer rock face that crumbled ominously at your touch. Thankfully, the steep walls usually had hollowed-out footholds from many years before - but not always.

Yusei stopped every time he found some kind of shade to drink and eat. The sun was torture on his body, and if he had found somewhere decent to rest, he would have, but the pockets of shade gradually shrunk away as high noon came closer. He started resting less and climbing faster, trying to get to the top as quickly as possible.

He was lucky. He clambered over the last cliff wall to the tallest peak just half an hour past noon. Panting, hot, and covered in sweat, he fell to the ground, twitching and shivering. His fingers curled and cramped, refusing to move. Spots danced in his vision, his whole body aching with exhaustion.

The mountain's peak was very flat, except for one rocky outcrop in the center. There was a cave hollowed out of that pile of boulders, and out of the cave, a young man came out.

His eyes were clear and brown, with a lively spark in them. His hair was brown and bushy, hanging thickly around his face. An orange-brown tabby cat followed him out, tangling around his slender legs.

"Well hey there, kid. You've come a pretty far way, huh?" He smiled, standing over Yusei.

"Are you . . . the hidden duelist of the mountain?" Yusei asked, breathing deeply.

"I guess so." He shrugged. "My name's Jaden Yuki." He reached down, pulling Yusei to his feet. He was a lot stronger than his skinny frame would have one believe, and he slung the boy over his shoulders easily. "What's yours, stranger?"

"Yusei Fudo." He replied, leaning heavily on the young man.

"Yusei, huh? Well, Yusei, you sure are tall." He joked. "Say, do you remember ever hearing anything about me? I was pretty famous back in the day."

"No, sorry, I don't think so." Yusei admitted. "I never really paid attention to that stuff, so . . . "

"Nah, nah, it's fine." Jaden laughed. "I know it's been a while. No one remembers me now, of course." He took Yusei back into the cool shelter of the cave. "Here you go. Have some water."

Yusei drank greedily of the cup he was given. "Thanks," he said, settling into the cold stone floor. At night, it was probably freezing inside.

"No prob. So tell me what brings you to ol Mt. Flat-Top?" He asked, refilling the cup at a little spring in the back of the cave.

"Good name for this place," Yusei commented. "I'm here to learn from you so I can become a better duelist. Will you teach me?"

Jaden froze, his eyes darting over Yusei curiously. "What?" He asked. "Are you serious? I mean, you really want me as your teacher? I haven't had a real duel with anyone for years. I might be a little rusty."

"If you haven't been up here dueling, then what have you been doing?" Yusei asked.

"Hmm," Jaden closed his eyes, thinking hard. "I'm not sure if I can explain this, but . . . I guess you could say that I've been learning what dueling really is. And that's pretty tough to get, especially if you can't see what I see." He tapped one of his brown eyes. "I have sight that looks beyond the ordinary, you know. If you can't match it, then you won't be able to get anything I'm saying."

"And the climate up here is  _crazy_. It's really hot in the day, as you can tell, but during the night, it's freezing. This kind of thing isn't for the weak and weary, I can assure ya, Yusei. I can't go easy on you either, if you're going to learn from me."

"I don't need easy, I need a way to protect the people I love." Yusei said strongly, his eyes full of unrestrained passion. The orange cat that had stayed near Jaden now came over to Yusei, licking his fingers quietly. "Hmm?" He rubbed its head politely, and it purred.

"Ooh, Pharaoh likes you." Jaden cheered. "I guess you've got to stay now. If you really mean it, then you can be my student, Yusei Fudo. But you can't leave this mountain until I say you can, alright?"

"That's fine." Yusei nodded, both excited and relieved. He couldn't wait for his new training to start. Infinite power was waiting just out of his grasp, and it was time to take hold of it. He would protect everything he held dear.

For everyone, in every time that there was love, Yusei would fight.


	9. We All Have Our Breaking Points

**(Not exactly the fanart I was looking for, but I suppose it will do . . . )**

**The inspiration behind this was 'what would have happened if Noa had survived?' I know that really wouldn't fit the ending for the arc, but it's nice to think about sometimes.  
**

 

Kaiba let his head drop between his arms, running his fingers through the tangles in the back of his hair. He probably looked insane, and he knew he looked tired. At this point, he was halfway to the first description, and very much the second.

The computer screen in front of him was black with white, corrupted text scrolling across it, the wreck of the latest Solid Vision upgrade. Kaiba Corporation had less than 12 hours until the upgrade was supposed to be unveiled and available for installation. But a few, last-minute bugs and a machine failure had taken Kaiba's beautiful program and turned it into a black and white nightmare with a deadline.

"Fire the intern." Noa's voice projected from his speaker. "He was the last one to touch it."

"Firing the intern won't help solve the problem." Kaiba replied almost evenly, rubbing his eyes. Now he knew he was insane; he was talking nicely to Noa. "It wasn't his fault. He was just there when the doo-doo hit the fan. Right now, we need all hands on deck - even volunteer ones." His eyes felt dry and wierd, so he knew they were bloodshot from staring at the computer too long. He blinked, rubbing them again.

His second monitor, which had been blank, suddenly lit up with Noa's image. "The way things are going, the program will be usable in roughly five hours . . . "

Both finished his sentence at the same time. " . . . barring the unexpected."

"It's the unexpected that worries me." Kaiba stood up, getting himself a cup of coffee. It had to be his tenth that night, but it was 2 A.M.; what else would he do, sleep?

He resisted the urge to ask Noa if he wanted a cup while he was up. " _He's a computer program._ " He reminded himself sleepily.

"Aren't you going to be in the Duel Monster's tournament you're hosting to celebrate the upgrade?" Noa pointed out. To poke fun at Kaiba, he had changed his appearance so that his eyes had bags and his hair was disheveled. "You should get some rest. Yugi will be be there, after all."

"I'm fine. I have to know if anything comes up." Kaiba felt too bleary to be aloof, or even annoyed. He was just tired. His body dully sent him a signal of hunger, so he took a protein bar out his emergency snack drawer in his desk. Unwrapping it, he chewed and swallowed it dutifully. "If there's an emergency, I'm the only one who can fix it." Stuffing the rest of the bar into his mouth, Kaiba set his hands on the keys, trying to restore his wounded upgrade to a living creature.

Well, it wasn't just his program. Noa had helped him a little more than he wanted to admit. Kaiba had made its skeleton and organs, but Noa - guiding the KaibaCorp team - had given it flesh and blood, wings and claws. Then, when all had declared it finished, Noa had given it elegance. There were layers and subgroups and categories, like the different systems of a living body. This split-off design had made it harder to hack and destroy, and also easier to fix, as every employee had a different specialty within the program's existence. With each person building up their layer, one fix at a time, the great beast was already beginning to stir once more.

"Well, it isn't great, but it's living." Inside of his virtual world, Noa had made the program look like a Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Its skeletal structure was almost covered  over with muscles and tendons, with silvery scales in some places. But bare bones poked through in others.

"That's a little graphic." Kaiba said drily. "Trying to give me nightmares?"

"There's  no point, since you never sleep." Noah replied. As a living A.I., he was inside the KaibaCorp computer system, constantly monitoring and fixing its problems. By gathering data from the various departments working on the problem, he could easily gauge the current situation of the upgrade.

Kaiba's decision to put Noa into his computer system was not easy. The A.I. had managed to keep his consciousness alive by downloading as much of himself as he could into the Battle Ship computers. It had been several weeks since Battle City's finals that he had even been found. Kaiba hadn't wanted to destroy him, but he couldn't let him run rampant either.

But Noa had decided to trust Kaiba's vision for the company, even if it went against his own father's. After being rescued and stored in a batch of old generation computers that were going to be thrown out, Noa began secretly building a program that could upload his data into a holographic projection - or, with a few tweaks, could be used to make A.I. controlled, intelligent, complex Duel Monster's holograms. The monsters created by his system could be programmed with intelligence, and even personalities, so they could hold actual conversations. They weren't just high-cost animations anymore, but almost living beings. It was also based on Kaiba's own Solid Vision system, making it an easily up-loadable upgrade for the projectors connected to KaibaCorp satellites.

Kaiba accepted the high-tech peace offering, and eventually, the promise of help that had come with it. At first, Noa's program had only run the operations of a single facility. Then, an entire department. But he had done so well that Kaiba had upgraded him to run in the database system of every KaibaCorp computer and their affiliates. The sarcastic, quiet talking young man was, through this circumstance, almost always at Kaiba's side when he worked. It was difficult for both of them,  especially in the day-to-day grind. But the two were exceptional when it came to containing and eliminating problems. They were the best crisis team in  the whole company.

Their greatest problems were personality struggles. Noa was frustrated at how slowly everyone else thought, and how even Kaiba couldn't keep up with his computerized brain. Kaiba hated Noa's air of superiority and constant lack of respect, as well as his caustic remarks that were similar to his own. But long days and nights spent compromising and crafting code together had forced them to learn how to get along. They both had a grudging respect for the other, and valued the specific insights and ideas each could bring to the table.

"I'm going to surprise you." Kaiba said with a slight smile. He dimmed the screens of both his monitors, but kept them on. "I'm going to sleep."

"Oh, the project must be doomed." Noa gasped in mock panic. "Seto's giving up in despair!"

"Ha. I'm only napping for a couple of hours. Wake me up if the unexpected happens. Otherwise, keep it down." Kaiba set the alarm on his watch, stretching out on the couch he kept in his office for such occasions. It wasn't comfortable, and his long, lanky frame barely fit between the two armrests. But he was tired, and it was enough.

Letting his coat fall to the floor, he put one arm under his head, with the other hand clenched tightly around his Duel Monster pendant. " _I'll see you tomorrow, Mokuba._ " He thought with the vaguest of smiles.

"Noa." He said suddenly.

"Yes, Seto-sama?" Another mockery.

Kaiba ignored him. "At six, text Mokuba. Tell him I'll be at the tournament."

"Of course. Why wouldn't you be?" Noa snorted, stroking the Blue-Eyes program's fully completed head. "Good luck tomorrow." He added. "Don't push yourself."

"Don't push myself?" Kaiba opened one ice-blue eye sleepily. "Don't make me laugh. The point of playing Duel Monsters is to push myself." He closed his eyes again, leaving it up to his employees, and Noa, to fix the mess before the morning. "The day that I stop pushing myself is the day I'll lay down my deck and sell my Blue-Eyes to the highest bidder."

"You would never do that." Noa said softly.

"Exactly. I don't mind hitting my limits in every fight. That's what it means to be a duelist." He yawned widely, his body rebelling against his spirit's show of strength. He  _really_  needed sleep.

"Everyone has a breaking point, Seto." Noa cautioned. "Even you aren't invincible. We all have a point where we can't take it anymore. The pain will eventually catch up to you."

Kaiba didn't answer. Noa wasn't sure if it was because he was asleep or just didn't have any words. "Work, lack of sleep, a tournament, and your little brother too? Here's your breaking point." Noa whispered. Glancing at his Blue-Eyes, a sudden inspiration struck him. "Or your testing grounds."


	10. After-Death

**(So the fangirling begins!! Also, this one is a REEEAAALLLLY random, but I hope you like it anyway. It's also just fun to imagine how everyone's relationships evolved after they spent so much time together in the afterlife. Do I put too much thought into these things?)**

 

 

"Kaiba-kun. Do you believe in angels?" Pharaoh Atem asked mildly.

The two were laying out on the grassy banks of a pool, stripped down to their underwear in the Egyptian-like sun. Kaiba knew there were other afterlives to be in, but at the moment, he couldn't  imagine being anywhere else. The tall palm trees of the oasis shielded them from the sun's harsh glare as they dried off from their earlier swim. It was rare to have a moment alone with Atem without Yugi hovering somewhere nearby, so even though it was long past mealtime, Kaiba was willing to forsake lunch for this special silence.

"Angels?" He finally responded. "We're dead. Why are you asking about angels?"

"What? You're other self believes in them. Yugi too." Atem shot back, both arguing for argument's sake.

"My 'other self' sacrificed livestock to a dog-headed man and sun god for his whole life. Yugi is a gullible child who would believe in anything that had to do with magic." Kaiba scoffed, being critical for no particular reason. He really had no opinion on the subject of angels, as he had never thought about them before. "What makes you ask anyway?"

"I don't know." Atem responded, after a pause. "I guess I was just thinking about them randomly. I wanted to know what you thought of them."

"Oh great King of High-Hooeyness." Kaiba mocked him playfully.

"Holy High Priest of Skeptical Skeptilosity." Atem retorted, just as lightly. They had been playing games in the afterlife for what they had called hundreds of years. The two got along quite well now, compared to their burning animosity on earth.

"Seriously, I don't know if I believe in them or not."Kaiba shrugged, stretching himself out with a yawn. It was a warm, sleepy day. "I've never thought about it."

"I do." Atem said seriously. Rolling onto his stomach, kicking his feet in the air, he began casually pulling up blades of grass. "There were so many quiet miracles that happened everyday without us even noticing when we lived before. Why shouldn't there be some creature that connects Heaven and earth together to make them happen? I don't know, it's just hard to say. But isn't it nice to think of wonderful creatures beyond us that protect and help us? It would make hard things a lot easier to think of someone protecting us all the way through."

"You're stupid." That was Kaiba's immediate response. He quickly remodeled it. "Sorry." Not a word he used often, but hardly an adequate one to use after insulting a pharaoh. "I mean, it's a nice thought, but why should they be real? What is the evidence that takes them from being 'nice' to 'reality'?"

"You're over-complicating it. Angels don't _live_  in our reality, they interact with it." As punishment for his insult, Atem scooped up the grass he had picked, rolling onto his side and sprinkling it on Kaiba's face. Turning his head and closing his eyes, Kaiba batted his hand away.

"Pfft." He blew the blades of grass off his face. "Stop. And you're making a big deal out of this. We're not in the world of the 'living', so if there were angels, wouldn't they be here?"

"There are other places to go after one dies." Atem's mouth rippled into an amused smile. He was happy at Kaiba's annoyance, but not maliciously so. "Maybe I'll try to go to one of the other afterlives to see angels."

Kaiba just looked at him, an odd feeling in his stomach. "Atem, I don't think you can just leave and go back. The reason spirits are sent where they are when they die - well, there must be a reason. Otherwise, we would have met the souls from other worlds." Something inside Kaiba rebelled against leaving, as if this was the only place he could be, that  _they_  could be. THis was home, now and forever.

"How would you know?" Atem asked.

"i don't know. Just believe me when I say I do." He said simply, sitting up. A cold feeling passed through him, despite the warm sun, a feeling he had never associated with this form of existence.  _Was it_  . . .  _fear_?

"Nevertheless, we shouldn't speak lightly of such things." Kaiba continued. "This is Power and Beings beyond even what we called gods."

"What we  _called_  gods." Atem mused, changing the emphasis of Kaiba's last words.

Kaiba didn't move or say anything for a few seconds. Then, he laughed, picking his clothes up off the ground. "Why can't we just have a normal conversation?"

"Because you make it complicated." He chided gently, pulling his tunic over his head. Without comment, surprise, or resentment on either part, Kaiba naturally assumed his place as an inferior, helping Atem put on his clothes and adornments. In this world, after all this time, the two had finally come to terms with their relationship as Pharaoh and guardian, champion and challenger.

After Atem was dressed, it only took a moment for Kaiba to pull on his clothes, which were a mostly ancient style made with modern materials. It was a flattering, well-made set of garments, rather like Kaiba himself, as they blended the clothing of the ancient world with the time they had left. Of course, in the changing world, fashion had changed much. But the time they had left remained living in their memories.

"Let's hurry and get back." Atem cut off his line of thoughts quickly. "We both have people waiting for us back home, I think?" He smiled knowingly, referring to Yugi and Kisara.

"Alright." Kaiba ignored his little wink, pulling himself up onto the camel they had brought. Atem climbed up as well, settling in the saddle in front of him. The former monarch skillfully steered the beast on their path, urging him into a sort of gallop. "It's a good life." He sighed, mostly to himself.

Kaiba threw his arms around the smaller boy and king, bracing himself against the camel's rocking gait. "Yes." He smiled in return, for his own reasons. "Yes, it is."

 


	11. The King of Games

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: This story features killing, assassination, and some gore/blood. Please do not read it if you have any problem with these concepts.

Seto Kaiba walked into the shadows of the abandoned warehouse, two bodyguards flanking him. It was midnight, but the moon flooded the holes in the roof, sending pale, searching beams crawling across the floor with the movement of the clouds. The young billionaire signaled to his men, and they stopped, close to what seemed like the center of the vast, shadow-hidden ground.

Kaiba took a few steps forward, beyond their shelter. Raising his voice so that it echoed from every last corner and every infested beam, he called out. "I am Seto Kaiba, the man who hired you for the Shibuya job." No answer came. He breathed deeply, and continued. "You gave me these coordinates, then told me to memorize this phrase: every soul has a place it must return to."

There was silence. Kaiba closed his eyes for a mere fraction of a second.

When he opened them, a young man - _no, a_ _boy_ \- dressed in layers of tight black clothing was standing in front of him, his arms crossed. His face from the nose down was hidden by a black, tight-fitting mask. His wide, innocent eyes peered into Kaiba's with an inner mirth. Kaiba noticed, even in the dim light, that they were a deep, violet color.

"I'm glad you could make it, Mr. Kaiba. " The boy bowed, his eyes still smiling.

Kaiba started away from him, surprised. His guards raised their guns. "Back away, now!" One shouted.

"A  . . . child?" Kaiba shook his head. This was impossible. "I hired a master assassin. Why do I only see a child?"

"You know, your men are saying I'm too dangerous to be near you, and you're saying I'm too weak to accomplish a job." Then, the mirth dropped from his youthful voice. "I understand that this is important to you. I also know that this must be something you have to do; otherwise, you wouldn't bother. I don't, and can't, judge my clients. Their motives are their own. I merely carry them out. Revenge is a very powerful force, but it often doesn't satisfy. I'd be the last person to dissuade you, but do you understand what you're asking? Because I do. Perfectly. Even if I wasn't the best man for the job, you would be better off going with me than anyone else, just because of one, simple fact . . ."

He closed his eyes, then opened them again, staring into Kaiba's soul. "I understand."

A strange excitement filled his voice as he continued. "Killing another human being - the only thing greater than that is bringing one into the world. Fire me if your mind can't believe in my skill. But know that I am the King of Games. I am the unconquered assassin. I am the best in the world."

Kaiba looked down at him for a moment, considering. Then, he nodded, slowly. "You understand why I'm here. This isn't a simple, petty emotion that puts me in this place." His next words made even the assassin's blood run cold. "My only desire is to kill my family."

The boy made no comment, no nod, no movement with his body at all. He merely sank to the floor, cross-legged, inviting Kaiba to join him there. "Sit. We have almost an hour. Tell me everything, from start to finish. The stronger your motivation is, the easier it is for me to kill on your behalf. So, give me a reason to be a blade."

With a bemused smirk to himself, Kaiba sat on the floor to face the young killer. He was a billionaire leader leader of a giant tech company, yet here he was, sullying his pants with the most notorious paid killer on earth. "We're something of a kind, I think." He said aloud.

"More than you'd realize." Out of the folds of his dark clothes, the assassin pulled forth a large golden pendant with an eye carved into it. His hands gently caressed it, and Kaiba felt a chill run down his spine. "What is that?" He asked.

"Something of sentimental value. Something from my family." The King tossed the words out carelessly, but gently changed the subject. "Tell me everything."

Kaiba took a deep breath, then spoke, his voice even and factual. "My mother died soon after my younger brother was born. My father died in an accident when I was a child. He was strong, hard-working, intelligent, and always kind to my brother and I."

"But his two brothers were greedy scum. After his death, they took my father's money from us, and threw us into an orphanage for no other reason than that our lives were an inconvenience. We were abused and mistreated. We were in hell. Every night when I went to sleep, I would curse those of my blood who would do such a thing. Every morning, I would wake up with a heart full of care for my brother, which twisted itself into hate for the family that made us both suffer."

"I clawed myself out of the dirt into more pain, but I rose above it to the top. I have everything I've ever wanted or needed, except for my vengeance. Every moment of torment I endured will be paid in their blood. They have brought this upon themselves. With their thoughtless actions, they created their own murderer. And until they cease to breathe, I live only for their death." After years of his passion staying hidden, Kaiba could finally say what caused him to continue living.

Love for his brother. Hate for his blood-kin.

"Press death into their cold, half-beating hearts! Don't you dare falter for a second, because my hand strikes with doom!" He was drowning in the ecstasy of causing others pain. His icy eyes wanted nothing more than to behold blood. His hands grasped shining, invisible blades, plunging them into ethereal flesh. the desire of his heart was exquisitely deadly.

The assassin had felt the rush of killing. He had also known the guilt. He had known the joy - the pain - of your heart's wish being fulfilled. His even, innocent eyes grew a new light. Some would say it was a new shadow. Perhaps it was a trick of the moon, but the pendant around his neck shimmered golden for a moment as well.

When he spoke, his voice was now full of confidence and courage, his innocence falling away. "I'll  drive away the hatred in your heart, Kaiba. I'll strike with you, and for you. I'll take the punishment, so kill without fear, and without guilt. I am the living blade of justice. Let me cut without mercy."

Even surrounded by his own blood-lust, Kaiba knew enough to be frightened of those steely eyes and powerful voice. Fear made him calm. He offered the assassin a piece of paper, a plan of the house, with marks where the security cameras were. "This is the mansion they live in now."

"Alright." He took the paper, studying it intently, committing it to memory. "Any guards?"

Kaiba somehow got the feeling that he was talking to a completely different person. "No. The security is all electronic - and manufactured by KaibaCorp." He shook off his unease, letting a smile slide off his lips. He was being ridiculous, thinking this was someone else. "I assure you, the cause of the system's failure will never be known."

The assassin, the King of Games, rose to his feet. Tucking the paper into a little pocket somewhere in his clothes' many folds, he asked, "How many people?"

"My uncle. His wife. Their two adult children. One of them is married, with twin sons. My father's second brother. His wife. Their only daughter." Kaiba counted on his fingers. "Ten people."

The assassin raised an eyebrow. "Your cousin's wife and children too?"

The answer was heartless. "Not one of them will survive. They'll all bleed, and crumple to the earth dead."

He made no reply for a long moment. "As you wish." He nodded, finally. "Anyone who tries to interfere will be dealt with . . . at no extra cost."

"How generous." Kaiba said drily.

"Indeed." The assassin's eyes lit up with a sardonic smile of his own. Levity and lust, the madness and the mirth of destruction - their conversation was a dance on the scales of Ma'at, weighing their hearts to determine their fate.

But they had already condemned, and the verdict was death.

The King of Games rode in the limo next to Kaiba, who had an open computer in his lap. It would take about 20 minutes for them to arrive at the mansion. The assassin had expected it to be spent in silence. It was, at least for the first few minutes while Kaiba shut down the security system. He then used his computer to show the young man a 3-D blueprint of the house, as well as pictures of each target. The assassin memorized them as well.

"You're pretty well researched." He commented.

"I designed their security system. Information wasn't hard to gather." Kaiba replied smugly. "We'll be about ten minutes away by foot while you complete the job." He told them the address of the house they would be waiting outside. "One of my men will be pretending to change the tire while we wait. You've got thirty minutes, once we're in position. If  you haven't returned by then, even if you've completed the job, I can't pay you." He glanced at the assassin keenly, but he just nodded. Both understood that it was too risky for them to contact each other ever again after the job was done. If he was late, it was his own fault.

"Got it." The assassin memorized and stuffed away every piece of information. The hairs on his arms and neck started prickling up as goosebumps of excitement lifted on his body. It was almost go-time.

A moment later, the car slowed to a crawl. "It's the house at the corner. Go quickly." Kaiba hissed. Silent as a shadow, the King slipped out the car door and shut it gently, easing into the shadow of a clump of hedges. The limo's speed increased slightly as it rolled down the block, but by the time it was level with the target, the young assassin was already in the back door.

It had been locked, of course. It had taken him a mere second to pick it. There was a second lock, a deadbolt, but he had a tool for that as well. He had done this many times, and had been alive when locks and keys were new inventions. The door opened to a dark hallway, but his keen eyes noticed the objects around him that could obscure his way. There was a few pairs of shoes near the door, a table with a vase, and silent, shut doors all along the route.

The ancient killer brought to mind the 3-D blueprint, sneaking through noiseless pools of shadow and half-lit passages. Where the moon and stars peeked in  the windows, it was bright. Where there was none, it was pitch-black. He moved surely, but not too quickly. On the thick, padded carpets, he knew he could run without making a sound, but he didn't want to confuse himself with too much haste.

Too soon, too late, he arrived at the first bedroom. This is where Kaiba's oldest cousin slept with his wife and their two sons. The door was locked, but it was nothing. He slipped it open, then he twitched, heart pounding, and adjusted his mask. It wasn't fear, it wasn't anger, it wasn't guilt that excited him so.

It was blood lust. The aching, begging desire to kill that screamed from the three hearts within him.

The first heart was his own, the heart of the ancient assassin. It had no memories,no link to its own past, except for killing. By ceasing life, he lived again.

The second was the heart of his vessel, the body that carried him, his body living again. He had woken the inner cry for death within him, and taught him to kill. Now, the boy loved to spill blood just as much as the assassin.

The third heart was that of his client, Seto Kaiba. It was screaming in childish rage, but had grown itself into a great dragon, ready to devour. Only blood could satisfy it. Only suffering would appease it. Only death would make it human.

He was the assassin, the blade, wielded by his client, their emotions and motivations driving him into the hearts of his victims. He was living vengeance. He was destroying justice. It was not his hand that pulled the trigger, but it was his soul that reveled in the blood. When the gun shots alerted the household staff, it wasn't his hand that plunged the blades into their chests.

But it was his heart that beat too fast, too hard.

And when Kaiba killed the last of his family, it was the assassin's hand that gripped the blade, and the killer's eyes that ran with tears.

At first, his vessel had not wanted to kill. Then, he had made the excuse that he was too weak to deal with the emotions it left behind. But the spirit had taught him that to be an assassin for others, he had to hold onto the emotions left behind by killing. He could weep honestly for those who his hands destroyed. They could both stand the guilt and accept the pain.

For they were the blade, not the hands that guided it.

Yugi slipped out of the house full of blood, having killed almost twenty people in less than 15 minutes. At least, his other self had. Now, satiated and sick, he just wanted to get his money and leave. He moved quietly from shadow to shadow, finding Kaiba's limo right where it was supposed to be. He opened the door, and sat down heavily.

"Well?" Kaiba's voice couldn't hide his excitement. "Have you succeeded?"

Yugi slipped off a blood-stained outer glove, wrapping it in his gore-spattered scarf. As usual, he left any blood-touched clothing with his client, unless it had directly touched his own skin. However, he wore so many layers of clothing that it never touched himself.

"They're dead." He said flatly, his voice trembling. "Your intent to kill was strong. My hands never wavered, and the blade of my body never stopped. Everything they deserved was given."

It was almost worth the guilt, watching the pain fall away from Kaiba's eyes. As usual, like every other client, he cried. They always did, even if only for a few minutes. It was from the rush of making a first kill.

After he recovered, Kaiba gave Yugi a briefcase. It was full of money, cold hard cash. Blood money. The price of human lives.

"Live a long and happy life." Yugi whispered, clutching the briefcase, watching Kaiba's limo pull away. In the distance, police sirens were wailing. They would be coming for him soon.

" _Time to go, Partner._ " The spirit warned.

"Right." Yugi looked once more at the mansion of blood. "Right." He whispered again. "Time to go back to living."

 

 

 

 


	12. Royal Dragon Keeper - 1

**(Another slightly trippy story. If I put as much work into original stories as I do Yu-Gi-Oh AUs . . . Ah well. I guess this is my life now. Also, this one will have a sequel, and possibly a second sequel [trequel?]. Those'll be posted later in this collection.)**

 

Seto opened his eyes, slowly, trying to adjust to the soft feeling of a mattress underneath him. After spending his whole life sleeping either on a thin mat or the floor of a cave, this cushy, down-stuffed surface was as foreign as a cloud. For a moment, he wondered where he was. Then he remembered, and wondered if he was dreaming.

 

**\---**

 

The wild dragons had always plagued his village, since his birth and long before it. Snake-like, vicious creatures, they carried away livestock and children for their food. But for a reason he couldn't even understand, Seto had always been obsessed with them. Where did they live? How many eggs did they lay? Were all dragons meat-eaters, or were some plant-eaters instead?

Of course, his fellow villagers only viewed the dragons as dangerous pests, and the others mocked him. Outwardly, he pretended to lose all interest in them; but secretly, he continued his ponderings, drawing dragons in dirt and watching them fly overhead.

 

Then the White Dragon had came.

 

It wasn't snaky or lean. It wasn't sneaky or fast. It was taller than two huts stacked on top of each other, and as long as a tall tree. It's scales were like brilliant snow in light, but shimmered grey-blue in any shadow. It's eyes  were like a summer sky crackling with lightning. And they were blue, bluer than Seto's own, strangely blue irises.

It was the first dragon he had ever seen with blue eyes, just as he was the only human with blue eyes.

It had attacked without mercy, the other dragons exulting in the carnage. No one could stop its streams of white fire, and its claws tore rends in the very sky. Trying to escape with his life, Seto was pinned down in his family's burning cottage. The dragon of blue eyes was upon him.

For a moment, there was nothing but white. Then, only blue. It was looking deep into his eyes, peering close to him. Seto could have picked up a burning wood plank and stabbed it, driving fire into that ocean of blue, staining it red and pink with blood.

But he didn't. He couldn't.

And the dragon took him in its claws and bore him far away, to a lonely cave in the tallest mountains. And there, he learned about dragons.

The Blue-Eyed Dragon could share its many, wild mysteries with the boy, as long as he didn't panic or let his own human thoughts or feelings corrupt them. He learned how dragons communicated, how many eggs they laid at once, and the different species and colors and even how to fly.

But the white dragon was old. The last thing she ever did was show Seto that the grandfather of the current Pharaoh had driven out the sentient during a famine to preserve food for the humans. In return, the creatures had gone feral and began attacking humans. Now, the stories about dragons and humans co-operating had faded into legend. But the dragon said that peace could be attained between the wisest dragons and humans, and that Seto's ability to understand it would lead to this peace.

In the night, as they slept curled up together, the dragon vanished. Nothing was left of her but white gems veined with blue.

Seto had decided to convince the current Pharaoh to try to make peace with the remaining sentient dragons, and had left for the capitol to tell his strange story. The Pharaoh himself seemed lenient to his wild ideas and insane appearance, but many of his advisors sneered and called him mad. As proof of himself, weary, tired, ragged, looking much older than he ought to have, Seto could only hold up the three white gems.

In his hands, they had broken open to reveal dragons.

Three white dragons, with eyes as blue as his own.

At that, the Pharaoh had revealed a secret prophecy passed down between kings, one that described a man with blue eyes and three white dragons, who was the descendant of the ancient order of Dragon Keepers. He also told of the royal black and white breeds of dragons that had been created for the Pharaohs themselves. They were the most intelligent and fierce of the many dragon breeds.

**\---**

 

And now, Seto was  _here_ , living in the palace, having learned that he was distantly related to the Pharaoh through his blood as a Dragon Keeper. Until the Pharaoh had children of his own, he was technically the heir to the throne. He, an orphaned peasant boy who had dreamed of dragons.

He had named the royal dragons Aoime, Shiroryu, and Kaminari. The first, Aoime, was a a male, and his name meant 'blue eyes'. The other two were females, and their names meant 'white dragon' and 'lightning', respectively. For now, they were so young they drank only cow's milk, and had to stay with Seto all the time (already his room stank of urine). It would be a few months before a special outdoor enclosure could be built for them.

But for now, he enjoyed the feeling of their soft baby spines pricking into him as they slept, and their catlike mewls for food when they awoke. He was the Keeper of the Royal White Dragons, who would one day drive away the wild dragons that threatened the kingdom. Perhaps there were a few black dragons left too, and their eggs and young would be given to the care of another Keepers' descendant. **  
**

Or maybe even to Seto himself.

The call of the bright future's maybes would have to wait, however; Aoime was mewling again.

 

**('The Royal Dragon Keeper', a.k.a., 'I love using fanart', lol. Feel free to comment or leave a kudos if you enjoyed the story. I really appreciate your feedback.)**


	13. Public Buses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This . . . was . . . based on my first public bus ride. Before I could drive a car, but was still going to college, my mom wanted to save money on gas. Instead of driving me up there every day, I took the bus. I'm glad I have my license and everything now. Driving is much funner.

 

**(Ngh . . . No good fanart again.)**

 

The school bus didn't go to his neighborhood, because it was too dangerous. Joey barely went to his own neighborhood, it was so dirty and laden with scum. The latter couldn't be helped. Because of the former, he got a student pass and rode the city bus.

Just like normal, he swiped his card, waited for the monitor to flash green, and shuffled to the middle row of seats. He kept his book-bag splayed across his lap, and sat next to the aisle,  not the window. he didn't want to be cornered if something went wrong. There were three people already on the bus; two black men arguing about politics. A middle-aged woman in a fast food uniform, who never looked up from her phone. Joey sighed, unintentionally. the bus went lurching and rattling on its way.

As time went on, stops were passed, and people got on, people with little in common at face value. But if you looked in their eyes, 9 times out of 10, they were dull and lifeless. The fire of life burned, but they survived, not lived. Most had cigarettes in their pockets. The lucky had phones. What little piece of life they had, they removed themselves from it with their favorite drugs.

There were bright-eyed but disillusioned teenagers, people in similar situations to Joey himself. They hadn't given up on hope yet, as their elders had. Maybes still shone in their futures. A few, a very few, would make it. Most would be the next generation on this bus, working mediocre jobs, commuting back to bloody streets and shabby houses. But potential existed at every level and age of humanity.

As for Joey, he knew the face of everyone there, even if he knew not a single name. There was the woman who bought groceries every other day. Her slender arms, warm and brown, hugged her bags protectively. Her eyes were scared. Across the aisle, a black hoodie carried a skateboard, his earbuds jammed in tight. He was bitterly trying to block out everything around him.

Every face, every silent sorrow - too many to list. He knew every one by face, not by name.

A mechanical voice announced his stop over the speaker. Joey pulled the cord. When he got up to leave, so did two other people. A guy his age. An angry, middle-aged man. They went off the bus together, and all three went different directions from there. For a moment, Joey locked eyes with the other student; his uniform was from a different school. The other boy nodded, barely. An unspoken hello and good-bye all at once, and a pledge. They had ridden that bus together to and from school every day for the past two years. They would ride it out of this place with their high school diplomas. Together.

Joey nodded back.

The moment broke. Hope flared, then died back to a cold glimmer. He slipped along the ugly streets, not even seeing the crooked houses, not even hearing the profanities that spilled from broken windows to the earth below. He had heard them since he was too young to understand. He was too old for them to startle anymore.

His dad's apartment was almost nice, for the area. Only one druggie snoring on the stairs today. Only one person screaming loud enough to be heard through the flimsy walls. The lack of noise was almost deafening.

But as soon as Joey opened his door, all he could smell was the thick, sickening reek of beer. He frowned. Then he remembered it was payday. His dad had probably been drinking since this morning.

He usually got mad when he was drunk. Luckily, he was asleep, so Joey sneaked past him into his room, holding his shoes in his hands. The temp of his old man's snoring never changed. he lay back in his chair, surrounded by empty cans. A half-held glass bottle dripped from drooping fingers.

Back in his room, Joey quietly shut his door, plopping down onto his ancient twin mattress. He had homework to do, but he needed a minute, a minute of quiet and peace.

" _I'm getting out of this dump._ " He promised himself. " _No one in my family's ever gonna live like this."_


	14. The Wolf, the Child, and the Path Through the Woods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yeah . . . basically, stories like this are why I should have less free time. This one just barely makes sense to me. But it's fun, and way too long, and a creative effort. Anyway, please enjoy your tour through my twisted little mind.

 

Yugi Moto had lived in the little village of Domino all his life, with his mother, and his father, and his best friends, Joey, Kaiba, Tea, and Bakura. His father worked for the King, and was often away. His mother was kind, but stern, and taught him right from wrong. Yugi himself was a happy boy, and played nicely with everyone in the village.

When he was very young, his grandfather had given him a special puzzle made of gold, that supposedly would grant the wish of the one who solved it. He had worked on it for many years before he eventually uncovered its mysteries. He wore it  on a silver chain around his neck. Some said that there was an aura of darkness around it, but Yugi never noticed anything wrong with it. He loved it, because it came from his dear grandfather.

But one day, his grandfather sent word that he was sick. Yugi's mother was worried, so she packed up a basket full of food, medicine, and blankets. "Yugi, can you take this to your grandfather's house?" She asked. "Remember, to get to his house, you go straight down the path through the woods.  _But do not leave the path_. If you do, the strange spirits that haunt the path will carry you away forever."

"What? Strange spirits?" Yugi asked.

"Yes, strange spirits. They've been haunting these woods for a few years now. Travelers who wander from the path and still survive come back babbling and insane. They go on and on about a white demon with heartless eyes. But those who stay on the path say they hear and see nothing. It's strange business either way, so hurry on while the sun's still high. if it gets dark while you're at Grandfather's house, just stay the night with him. Don't try to come home through the woods at night."

Yugi nodded, taking the basket as he left. "Alright Mother. I love you. See you in a few hours."

The road through the forest was made of smooth, white stones, bordered by silver and golden flowers. Birds chirped pleasantly in the trees, and squirrels foraged diligently for nuts. The first half-hour of the journey was cheerful and easy.

But as the sun continued through the sky, a wet mugginess filled the air, and Yugi felt much warmer. He started tiring more quickly. But it wasn't just a physical fatigue. Something inside him knew that this was wrong, and that something dangerous was waiting ahead.

Alert and afraid, Yugi walked cautiously down the white path, which gleamed in the past-noon sun. He sensed the warmth of days gone by radiating from the rocks, and he knew the cobbles under his feet held power. He didn't know this, but most of it was meant for protecting travelers along the path. However, as the stones that held the power eroded, some of their energy had released into the air, giving strength to ancient, hidden things. But no one knew of that.  

The forest around him was growing quieter and quieter. The trees grew closer together here, as if huddling for safety; the wind rattled through dark leaves and grey branches. No birds or squirrels here to lighten the dead silence. However, the flowers beside the path still flourished. It had been almost 2 years since Yugi had last taken this path, but he knew it hadn't been like this before. Something evil dwelt here, gathering power in the forest. Nothing guarded the outside world but this shining path.

A white mist rose from the ground, gently snaking through the trees on either side, but not a wisp touched the path, or crossed over it. Now it was cold, with the branches above shielding Yugi from even the tiniest touch of sunlight. It was dark, it was quiet, and all was still.

 As he kept walking, Yugi tried not to be overwhelmed by fear. " _This path is protecting me. It's all going to be fine._ " He told himself. " _The faster I get out, the sooner I'll be at Grandpa's._ " His body trembled and his soul screamed, but he didn't let himself stop. If he did, he would probably curl into a crying, shaking ball and never get up.

Now the warmth of the stones was welcome. Somehow, the path still held traces of sunlight in its depths, and it made Yugi feel a little better. Nevertheless, he could still sense the presence of something evil and dangerous - and it was still out there.

The darkness grew deeper. All heat faded from the path. The only sounds were the perpetual  _drip-drip_ of water from the branches and Yugi's frightened whimpers. The mist intensified until all he could see was the small stretch of land before him. At least the gold and silver flowers still marched beside him. They seemed undaunted by the lack of sun, and made the shadows more bearable.

But here, at the absolute heart of all the cold, the mist flowed over the path, making a solid grey wall. There was no way to go forward except by going through it. And Yugi didn't want to go through it. Here, even the lines of flowers had withered into black, soggy decay. The mist was the source and the extension of the evil. It held every fear of these trees.

"I can't." Yugi sobbed aloud, falling to his knees. "Please, please. Just let me go back home."

Then the path glowed with the brilliance of a white fire, and the drooping flowers brightened, straightening their stems. Another presence filled Yugi's mind, full of power, knowledge, and majesty.

The puzzle around his neck was glowing brightly, matching the fire of the path.

" _Go into the mist._ " A voice inside his mind gave a regal command. " _I will drive away the darkness here._ "

"What do you mean?" Yugi asked, filled with the strength to stand. "Who are you?"

" _I am the king who ordered that this path be built. I am the one who ordered my gardeners to to plant the forest here, so that the villages in this area would be provided for. It was I, the Ancient King, who filled every white-paved road of this kingdom with my protective magic. I gave up my life to save this land long ago. The evil here is nothing compared to what I've fought before. Go forward, and fear no thing._ "

Yugi felt control of his body slip away as the king's soul filled his mind. He understood that letting the spirit take control would make him stronger, so he did. He watched as the king accepted his body, walking into the wall of mist.

He was engulfed in pale darkness, the light from the path and puzzle illuminating the air around him. In the very midst of the haze was a place his light couldn't touch, and the black fog there formed itself into a human shape.

The mist around them receded, and Yugi saw a very familiar face.

"Bakura?" He called, taking control of his body involuntarily. The thing he had been scared of had only been his friend in the fog? But his instincts told him better. This was not Bakura, but the white demon. It used his friend's body, face, and voice, but it was not him.

"Yugi? What are you doing here? I was looking for ghosts, you know, to see if the stories are true. I guess they were just rumors." The fiend smiled with Ryou's mouth, but Yugi's heart twisted.

" _Give him back._ " He said  the words softly, but the king's spirit turned them into a defiant growl.

His mouth twisted into a fierce smile, all teeth and inhuman fangs. His eyes were brown slits lit with red, and his snow-white hair fell greasily over his pale skin. "Your  _Majesty_." He swept a deep, mocking bow, which ended with laughter. It sounded like breaking glass rending the air. It was another mockery, a mockery of laughter. It wasn't human.

"So you've returned at last." The demon sneered. "Oh, I  _don't_  deserve such an  _honor_."

 _"Do you know the boy he has possessed?_ " The king asked Yugi in their mind.

" _Yes, his name is Ryou Bakura. He's nothing like this at all._ " Yugi shivered. " _Can you help him?_ "

" _Thank you. Yes, I think so._ " Out-loud, he said, "Release this boy and return to your fowl dwelling, demon. His soul isn't yours, and neither is his body."

"Don't be so sure, Your  _Majesty_. This one willingly gave up his body to me." The fiend replied, his voice like nails on a chalkboard. "Of course, torturing his father was a good help. But what else would they deserve for straying from the path of the  _mightiest_ ,  _most noble_  king?"

The king said nothing for a moment, gathering all his strength. "What do you want in return for him?" He asked.

The demon leered, his tongue flickering over his lips. " **Your soul.** " His voice was the hiss of a thousand flickers of hell-fire, a mere echo of the hunger of darkness.

"Really? I wouldn't say that was a fair trade." The king merely smirked, unfazed. "With my soul, you'd have the power to destroy this entire land. The trade-off is only a single child. Why don't we even the odds . . . with a game of chance?"

\---------------------

 

Yugi's grandfather heard a knock at his door, early that evening. "Who could that be?" he wondered to himself. Getting out of bed, for he was very tired and sick, he went to his front door and opened it. He was very surprised to see his grandson, carrying a picnic basket and a white-haired boy.

"Hurry, Grandpa. He's unconscious." Yugi pleaded. They carried him over to the couch, and Grandpa treated him, despite his own sickness and exhaustion.

" _The demon's life-force still lingers within him._ " The king told Yugi regretfully. " _He must have made a pact with the creature. Usually, they let the demon return three times if it's ever driven out. but if you drive it out a fourth time, it will not be allowed to come back._ "

" _So we'll have to face it again?_ " Yugi questioned.

 _"Yes. You and I will be safe. The seal on the Puzzle that holds my soul will defend us from darkness. But no one else who dwells in this house will be protected. If we are lucky, the demon will not return until the next new moon. If not, we will have to defend those around Bakura when he is possessed._ " He took a deep breath, glancing at Yugi. " _I'm sure you have questions for me._ "

" _Yes._ " Yugi affirmed.

" _I will answer them tonight. For now, your grandfather is sick. The strain on his body will be intense if he happens to be possessed tonight. We must keep watch, and see if the demon returns._ " The king patted his shoulder. " _Eat little, and rest now. Our night will be long._ "

\-------------------

Perhaps you know the story of the wolf in human's clothing that was defeated by a child, or, others say, a friend of the child. There are many such stories that reflect the one, just as the paths of the king attract many who would walk down them. The details may have become lost over the years, and even the power of the white path is long gone. Nevertheless, we celebrate such forgotten heroes by telling their stories to our children, so that we should never forget.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**(Yeeeaaaah, soooo, here's my weird Little Red Riding Hood story. What do you think?**

 

**Yeah, yeah. It's trash, I know. Anyway, stay tuned for our next exciting installment. Only a dozen or so more stories, and the collection will be finished. That's something to celebrate, everyone! Good luck this year.)**

**God loves you, and I do too.**


	15. Seven Items

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one is a poem, for some reason. I don't know.

 

Look into the shadows  
Stare into the mind  
It brought forth only sorrows  
The Millennium Eye

**\---**

 

The Dark Spirit within  
Come back even when you fling  
It finds the Items hidden  
Bakura's Ring

**\---**

 

 

It commands, and you obey  
When your master gives the nod  
It holds a blade to slay  
Marik's Rod

**\---**

 

 

It contains the Ancient One who rules  
His memories in a muddle  
His specialty is monster duels  
Yugi's Puzzle

**\---**

 

 

Ma'at and the balance of it  
Are what it hails  
Fail, and you are fed to Ammit  
Shadi's Scales

**\---**

 

 

It looks as it is bidden  
Every time and every place  
In a tomb it was kept hidden  
Ishizu's necklace

**\---**

 

The door within your mind  
Is the wielders to see  
Everything within you to find  
Shadi's Key


	16. The Royal Dragon Keeper 2 - Black Dragon Keeper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More dragon keeping! This one is the sequel to the earlier one. As of yet, I don't have any ideas for a third, but I'm thinking about it.

 

The entire capitol was buzzing with excitement. A strange man who stank of dirt and covered in mud had burst into the throne room once more, this time clutching a black gemstone rather than a white one. His name was Katsuya Jonouchi; like Seto, his coloring was different from many in Egypt. His hair was pale yellow, golden like sunshine. Another lost descendant of dragon keepers, he tended the last red-eyed, black-scaled royal dragon, which had hatched in his hands in the throne room. (It seemed royalty was a catalyst for dragon hatching.)

Busy with keeping the pure dragons in their enclosure rather than out of it, Seto hadn't been there when Jonouchi had arrived. but he would see him quite often now, as they were both Royal Keepers. They would share the small hut which was technically a nursery for dragons, but had been converted to a temporary human use until the dragons were grown. For better or worse, this is where the keepers would be.

Jonouchi came in that afternoon, when Aome, Shiroryu, and Kaminari were taking their naps. In his warm, freshly scrubbed hands, he held a scrap of black scales and leather wings. The black dragon was more birdlike than the white dragons, with a thick beak and prominent wings. It was a beast of the air. The white dragons were made to destroy the land.

"Hey! How ya' doin'?" Jonouchi grinned, ducking into the hut. "Guess we're buds now, aren't we? I mean, with both of us chosen by dragons and all, we're above most guys now, eh? But don' worry about it, I'll show ya how to get the girls all over ya by playin' all cool and mysterious. Girls love it!" His eyes fell on the pile of dragons curled up in Seto's cot. Before the older Keeper could respond to his outrageous comments, Jonouchi crouched down, peering at the dragon chicks.

"Wow! So these are the white dragons? Aren't they somethin'?" His words were coarse, but full of awe. Pushing aside his unease at Jonouchi's earlier words - perhaps an untasteful joke? - he said quietly, "Yes. They certainly are."

Standing over the new Keeper, Seto studied him carefully. His blonde hair was proof that his line shared blood with the Pharaoh's, as Seto himself did. Also, being chosen by a dragon egg left it beyond a doubt. But the white dragons' Keeper had expected the one bearing the black dragon to be more like himself.  Jonouchi seemed dim-witted, at best, and clumsy. He felt no kinship with this new arrival, who was supposedly his family.

"The largest one is Aome. " Despite his feelings, Seto knew it wasn't fair to judge him this quickly, or keep his dragons away from spite. "These are his sisters, Shiroryu and Kaminari."

"Must be tough takin' care of so many." Jonouchi looked over at him with respect. "This little guy is Kuro. He's the last black dragon chick." He gently ran his large, square hands down its spiny back, more delicately than Seto had imagined he could. "His dad had been watching this egg for almost a century, but he didn't let it hatch 'cause he couldn' take care of it livin' how he did. But he tol' me that the white dragons and black dragons share a common ancestor, an' if there are any white dragons left, Kuro could stay with them. There's a chance that his eggs will hatch black dragons, even if they have a white dragon mother. I gotta take care of him right, so there'll be other dragons like him someday. I mean, if I did somethin' wrong, and there weren't any more black dragons 'cause of it, I'd feel like crap, ya know . . . ?"

Seto sat beside him on the floor, gently reaching out his hands to take Kuro. Stroking his large black head and finned horns, the Keeper set him into the knot of larger white chicks. Half-waking, Kaminari slid aside, allowing Kuro to burrow in with them. "You'll be a fine Keeper," Seto said, an unbidden smile rising across his face. "The dragons only choose those that will help them survive. It's not just our aptitude for the job, or our blood - it's our love for dragons. As long as you take care of Kuro, he will survive. But as long as you love him, he will be happy."

He knew without a doubt know that Jonouchi was a Dragon Keeper. It wasn't a certain mannerism or amount of knowledge that qualified one, but the potential to love. This also meant that he would have to prepare for many kinds of Keepers in the future.

"Ya mean, ya really think I can do it?" Jonouchi asked hopefully.

"Yes. No one could do it better." Seto promised. "Now, while they sleep, it's time for you to learn. there's a lot to know about chicks, and I'm sure you can't read or write."

Jonouchi nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Never had anyone to teach me."

"It's about time you learned. First things first, you're learning how to read. Until then, I'll read you my notes out loud. I expect you to memorize them. You'll also need to be fitted for new clothes within the week. We'll have to go to the Royal Tailor tomorrow. Within a month or less, there will be an oath-swearing ceremony where you pledge yourself to the Pharaoh's service, so you'll need to start memorizing that oath as well."

Jonouchi stared at him, dumbstruck. "H-hold on. Tha's a lot of stuff." He said weakly.

"Yes, it is," Seto couldn't deny it. But just because he had accepted Jonouchi as a Keeper didn't mean he needed to like him, or go easy on him. "But every one is your duty as a Dragon Keeper." 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	17. Theme Song - Don't Worry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (If I wrote the Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Monsters theme song, this is how I would do it. None of that wordless crap. I'm going all out in a super, fast-paced Japanese-style theme!)

 

All I wanted to be was you  
When I shout louder, you scream too  
I wish sometimes it wouldn't hurt so bad  
But the pain is where our strength is at

_(Cool guitar rift)_

_(Shout) Yu-Gi-Oh!_

Everyday we breathe is worth living  
Every time we fight it's worth winning  
Can't help but hold you sometimes  
No matter what I'll be here by your side

_(More guitar, changes to a minor key)_

Don't worry; don't worry  
I'm strong enough to fight for you  
Don't worry, don't worry  
It doesn't need to make sense anymore

_(Instruments fall away, then come back in a new major key)_

Stop asking what will happen tomorrow  
Just hang on tight and enjoy the ride  
Just play your cards like you heart says  
Maybe luck will be on our side  
Don't think too much  
Don't rush  
Just hang on, and don't let go of me

Dooooooon't leeet goo

It's always gonna be  
Just you and me

 


	18. Masseuse

 

His skin beneath my hands was warm, supple. It lived and breathed and rolled with my smooth, strong motions. I knew where he needed my touch, where he wanted it. The heart of Seto Kaiba was cold and closed off, but his body was open to any who could learn its secrets.

Not that I cared, one way or another. While three-fourths of the other Kaiba Mansion staff were totally enamored with our employer, to me, he was just a job. One of the first things you learn to deal with as a professional masseuse is a man's half-naked body. If you're so hormonal you can't even do that, then you have no place touching someone's body in such a manner. It would be rude, exploitative, and selfish.

My teacher, Shotoka-sensei, had taught me that on my first day of learning. She was a kind, strong woman, willing to hire and train the unskilled. She gave seminars and offered volunteers free massages, if they could put up with some beginners. The talented, she would invite back. Those less so, she taught even more thoroughly.

Unfortunately, my training and passion had only merited this part-time job working for Kaiba-sama. He was only at his mansion for twelve hours out of the day, so between 5 and 11 P.M., I was on-call at all times. Most days, I had nothing to do but chat and help the maids or cooks with their chores. But sometimes, word would be sent by some maid or the head butler, and I would be told where Kaiba-sama was waiting.

Sometimes it would be in the special room lit only by white candles, furnished with a long, low bed and a small table for my supplies. But I think it was too inconvenient for Kaiba-sama to go into a completely different room than the one he was already in for a massage. Besides, the atmosphere in there was a little too romantic for my tastes. Could it be he felt the same?

Yes, most of the time, even at his own house, he was in his office, working. he would often call me in to rub his neck and shoulders for a half-hour or more while he sat and worked. I had been in his bedroom a few times, but he usually kept his shirt on when we were in there.

It was awkward when the only place for him to lay was either his bed or his couch. He almost always went for the second option, but it was difficult to figure out how to massage him that way, as only one of his sides was open to me. Eventually, he figured out my problem and started keeping a massage table in his office, tucked out of the way between two bookshelves, but easily able to be dragged into position. I thanked him for that profusely, but not with words.

Hmm. Well. That sentence might be a little more adult-minded than I meant. Please trust me when I say that he's nothing but a customer to me, even if his body is something familiar. I'd honestly be shocked if he knew my name. It's merely that I put my heart and soul into my hands as I work, as a true masseuse should. Shotoka-sensei said that we nourish the mind and soul by tending the body. I take those words very seriously.

Tonight, I was in Kaiba's office again. He had done me the favor of pulling out the table, and was already lying on it, shirtless. I washed my hands, and settles in to work.

First, re-familiarizing myself. I learned what was tense tonight and what wasn't. His shoulders loosened quickly, but I knew he enjoyed them the most, so I lingered. His neck was always stiff, always sore. I warmed and pressed and teased with my fingers, gently, slowly getting his muscles to relax.

I lost myself in my work. There was nothing but knots and loosening them. Automatically, my hands knew where to knead, where to press, where to ease into his skin. My heart beat slow and steady, his massage and comfort, my therapy.

Suddenly, something snapped me back to the outside world. It was the technological, intruding glow of a phone screen in my eyes. Seto Kaiba was texting. He wasn't even paying attention to my hard work.

A cold, selfish burning in my heart lashed out, and my fingers pressed suddenly, hard and rigid, into his sensitive lower back. It was a vindictive, resentful motion.

His whole body tensed, on-guard and in pain. He grunted involuntarily, twitching away.

As he started, I noticed something along his jaw, a little patch of what seemed like skin, but stood out a little more. In the normal light, no one would ever see it, but between the phone light and the overhead lights, it was visible to me.

It was a flesh-colored band-aid, a very small one. He had probably cut himself while shaving that morning. A smile touched my lips as I remembered both my younger and older brothers with the same sort of cuts. It made my boss seem a lot more human, somehow.

I already regretted causing him pain. This tiny revelation just brought it home. I went back to work with even more care than before, easing his body back into a calm, restful state.

Eventually, he turned off the phone. Kaiba-sama then reached out his long, slender arm, pushing the phone onto his desk, out of his reach. He settled down a little deeper, his head resting on his arms in a childish posture. With his eyes closed peacefully, he looked young, as young as he was. He also looked more tired than a child ever could be.

"I suppose I could have deserved that prod earlier."

His voice startled me. He hardly ever talked to me, especially in the middle of my work. "W-what do you mean?" I responded too quickly, caught off-guard.

A secret smile to himself lit up his face sardonically. "You've caught my attention now." His voice was tinged with something that asked me to prove myself, asking if I was worthy of his respect. "Impress me."

What a selfish, arrogant demand! For demand it was, not a suggestion. I bit my lip, feeling his necklace string under my hands. He never took that off. Under that was skin, warm and easy to please. I sensed the blood pumping in his veins, keeping him living, breathing, hot red blood. Deep below, his muscles clung to his bones, tendons tying them on tightly in sinuous waves. His body was a miracle, a living work of art, viable, breathing impossibilities, even as I was.

He was Seto Kaiba. I was his masseuse. I set my hands into him, and I gave him a massage.


End file.
